Vehicular occupant protection device

Abstract

To provide a vehicular occupant protection device that can suppress the head of an occupant from coming off from an inflation part of a curtain airbag at the time of side collision of a vehicle, even in a comfortable posture in which a vehicular seat is slid to a predetermined position at a rear side of the vehicle and a seat back is tilted backward to a recommended limit position.SOLUTION: A vehicular occupant protection device 10 is provided with: a side air bag 22, loaded on a side part outside in a vehicle width direction in a seat back 16, which is supplied with gas at the time of side collision of a vehicle to inflate and expand to outside in the vehicle width direction of an occupant P seated on a seat cushion 15; and a curtain airbag 32, loaded on a roof side rail 28, which is supplied with gas at the time of the side collision to inflate and expand downward. The curtain airbag 32 has an expanding / inflating part 36 that overlaps with a center Hc of the head of the occupant P, in a comfortable posture in which a vehicular seat 14 is slid to a predetermined position at a rear side thereof and the seat back 16 is tilted backward to a recommended limit position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Vehicle curtain airbag devices equipped with a leading-end chamber that receives gas supply from a main chamber and inflates and deploys toward the front of the vehicle and below the door belt line have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this vehicle curtain airbag device, when the vehicle seat is in a comfortable position, the lower end region of the curtain airbag that comes into contact with the occupant's head has a restraint performance improving portion (high friction force imparting portion) that increases the reaction force when the head is restrained, thereby preventing the occupant's head from slipping outward in the vehicle width direction (toward the window). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-055465 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, if the vehicle seat is slid to the rearmost position and the seatback is tilted back to the recommended limit to adopt a comfortable posture, the occupant's head may fall significantly downward toward the vehicle, causing it to fall out of the inflation area of ​​the curtain airbag. In other words, the curtain airbag may not be able to protect the occupant's head in the event of a side collision.

[0005] One possible solution to this problem is to expand the inflatable portion of the curtain airbag downward to widen the head protection area. However, if the inflatable portion of the curtain airbag is expanded downward to cover the entire range of possible occupant head positions when the vehicle seat is slid, the curtain airbag may interfere with (hit) the seatback-mounted side airbag that inflates and deploys in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, preventing the curtain airbag from deploying properly downward, and potentially causing the occupant's head to fall out of the inflatable portion of the curtain airbag.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle occupant protection device that can prevent the occupant's head from coming off the inflation portion of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision, even when the vehicle seat is slid to a predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle and the seat back is tilted back to the recommended limit position to assume a comfortable posture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention comprises a side airbag mounted on the outer side of the seat back of a vehicle seat in the vehicle width direction, and which is supplied with gas in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, thereby inflating and deploying outward in the vehicle width direction of an occupant seated on the seat cushion of the vehicle seat; and a curtain airbag mounted on at least the roof side rail of the vehicle, and which is supplied with gas in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, thereby inflating and deploying toward the lower side of the vehicle, wherein the curtain airbag has an expanding inflation portion that overlaps with the center of the occupant's head in a side view when the vehicle seat has slid to a predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle and the seat back is tilted backward to the recommended limit position, thereby assuming a comfortable posture.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the invention, the curtain airbag has an expanding and inflating portion that overlaps with the center of the occupant's head in a side view when the vehicle seat is slid to a predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle and the seatback of the vehicle seat is tilted backward to the recommended limit position, thereby assuming a comfortable posture. Since the comfortable posture is specified as described above, the position of the center of the occupant's head is limited. Therefore, the occupant's head is prevented from falling out of the inflating portion (expanding and inflating portion) of the curtain airbag during a side collision of the vehicle. Note that "during a collision" as used herein also includes a time when the inevitability of a collision is predicted (foreseen).

[0009] Furthermore, a second aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is the vehicle occupant protection device of the first aspect, wherein the predetermined position is the rearmost position or a position up to 50 mm forward of the rearmost position.

[0010] According to the second aspect of the invention, the predetermined position on the vehicle rear side of the vehicle seat is the rearmost position or a position up to 50 mm from the rearmost position toward the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, the position of the center of the occupant's head can be more precisely limited, and the position of the expanding and inflating portion formed in the curtain airbag can be more precisely specified, thereby suppressing unnecessary increase in the volume of the curtain airbag.

[0011] Furthermore, a third aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the inflated and deployed expanding portion is positioned in a position that does not overlap, in a side view, with the inflation and deployment area of ​​the side airbag when the vehicle seat is slid to the predetermined position on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0012] According to the third aspect of the invention, the inflated and deployed expanding portion is disposed in a position that does not overlap, in a side view, with the inflation and deployment area of ​​the side airbag when the vehicle seat is slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, when the curtain airbag inflates and deploys, the expanding and deploying portion is prevented from interfering with the side airbag, allowing the curtain airbag to inflate and deploy normally. Note that "not overlapping, in a side view" in this invention means that the inflating portion of the expanding and deploying portion does not overlap with the inflating portion of the side airbag. Therefore, the present invention includes a case in which only the outer peripheral edge portion (non-inflating portion) of the expanding and deploying portion that is not filled with gas overlaps with the side airbag in a side view.

[0013] Furthermore, a fourth aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the lower end of the inflated and deployed expanding portion is located below the center of the head of the occupant corresponding to the AF05 human body dummy in a side view.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the lower end of the inflated and deployed expanding portion is located below the center of the head of an occupant corresponding to the AF05 dummy in a side view. Therefore, even if the seated occupant is a small occupant corresponding to the AF05 dummy, the occupant's head is prevented from coming off the expanding portion (expanding portion) of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision of the vehicle.

[0015] In addition, a fifth aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the inflated and deployed expanding inflation portion is in contact with the door trim below the door belt line.

[0016] According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the expanding and deployed portion contacts the door trim below the door belt line, thereby improving the vehicle ejection prevention function in the event of a rollover of the vehicle.

[0017] In addition, a sixth aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device of any one of the first to fifth aspects, and is configured such that, when the vehicle is traveling, if the vehicle seat has not slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle, the seat back is prohibited from tilting backward to the comfortable position.

[0018] According to the sixth aspect of the invention, if the vehicle seat has not been slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, the seat back is prohibited from tilting backward to the comfortable position, thereby preventing the occupant's head from coming out of the inflation portion (expanding inflation portion) of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision of the vehicle.

[0019] In addition, a seventh aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device of any one of the first to fifth aspects, and is configured to issue a warning when the seat back is tilted backward to the comfortable position while the vehicle seat has not slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

[0020] According to the seventh aspect of the invention, if the seat back is tilted backward to the comfortable position while the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle seat has not yet been slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle, a warning is issued. Therefore, the occupant can be prompted to slide the vehicle seat to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle, and the occupant's head is prevented from coming out of the inflation portion (expanding inflation portion) of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision of the vehicle.

[0021] In addition, an eighth aspect of the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention is a vehicle occupant protection device of any one of the first to seventh aspects, and is configured so that when the vehicle seat is slid toward the front of the vehicle while the occupant is in the comfortable position while the vehicle is traveling, the seat back automatically rises.

[0022] According to the eighth aspect of the invention, when the vehicle seat is slid toward the front of the vehicle while the occupant is in the comfortable position while the vehicle is traveling, the seat back automatically rises, thereby preventing the occupant's head from coming off the inflation portion (expanding inflation portion) of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] As described above, according to the present invention, even when the vehicle seat is slid to a predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle and the seat back is tilted back to the recommended limit position to assume a comfortable posture, the occupant's head can be prevented from coming off the inflation portion of the curtain airbag in the event of a side collision of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view showing an inflated and deployed state of a curtain airbag and a side airbag according to the present embodiment when the vehicle seat is located in the frontmost position. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side view showing an inflated and deployed state of a curtain airbag and a side airbag according to the present embodiment when a vehicle seat is positioned in a rearmost position. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the inflated and deployed state of a curtain airbag and a side airbag according to this embodiment when the vehicle seat is positioned in the rearmost position and the seat back is tilted backward to its limit position. [Figure 4] 3 is a schematic side view showing the positional relationship between the expanding and inflating portion of the curtain airbag and a side airbag according to the present embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] 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 arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle. Therefore, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, when up / down and front / rear directions are mentioned, they refer to up / down and front / rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the left / right direction is synonymous with the vehicle width direction.

[0026] In addition, the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment takes as an example an autonomously driven automobile 12 as the vehicle, and takes as an example a case in which an occupant P is seated in a right-side vehicle seat 14 serving as the front seat (driver's seat) of the automobile. The occupant P is an anthropomorphic dummy for crash tests, and this anthropomorphic dummy is, for example, a World Side Impact Dummy (World SID) AF05 (5th percentile of adult American women).

[0027] 1 to 3, the vehicle seat 14 has a seat cushion 15 that supports the buttocks and thighs of the occupant P, a seat back 16 that supports the back of the occupant P, and a headrest 17 that supports the head H of the occupant P. The occupant P is seated in the vehicle seat 14 in a seating manner specified in the side collision test method, and is restrained in the vehicle seat 14 by a seat belt of a three-point seat belt device (not shown).

[0028] The seat cushion 15 of the vehicle seat 14 is configured to be electrically slidable in the front-rear direction, and the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 14 is configured to be electrically tiltable in the front-rear direction. In the following, the state in which the seat back 16 is tilted backward to the recommended limit position is referred to as the "comfortable posture." The "recommended limit position" here refers to a position slightly higher than the limit position to which the seat can actually be tilted backward.

[0029] A side airbag device 20 is mounted on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the seatback 16 of the vehicle seat 14. This side airbag device 20 includes an inflator (not shown) embedded in the side of the seatback 16, and a side airbag 22 that is inflated and deployed by gas ejected from the inflator and supplied to the inside.

[0030] The inflator is, for example, a cylindrical gas generator formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is embedded with its axial direction aligned substantially along the vertical direction, which is the extension direction of the side frames (not shown) that form the framework of both the left and right sides of the seat back 16. The inflator is activated when a side collision of the automobile 12 is detected or predicted (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "at the time of a side collision"), and is capable of instantly supplying gas into the inside of the side airbag 22.

[0031] The side airbag 22 is formed into a single bag shape by sewing together the outer peripheral edges of two pieces of base fabric, and is configured to be inflated and deployed outward in the vehicle width direction of the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 14 when gas ejected from an inflator is supplied to the inside of the side airbag 22. Note that the side airbag 22 is formed to be large enough to cover at least the area from the waist to the shoulders of the occupant P in a side view seen from the vehicle width direction.

[0032] Furthermore, curtain airbag devices 30 are mounted on at least the left and right roof side rails 28 of the automobile 12, more specifically, from the rear ends of the left and right front pillars 23 through the roof side rails 28 to the front ends of the rear pillars (not shown). Note that each curtain airbag device 30 is symmetrical and has the same configuration, so only the right curtain airbag device 30 will be described below.

[0033] This curtain airbag device 30 is configured to include an inflator (not shown) embedded in the roof side rail 28, for example, approximately in the center in the fore-and-aft direction, and a curtain airbag 32 that inflates and deploys when gas ejected from the inflator is supplied to the interior.

[0034] This inflator is also a cylindrical gas generator formed, for example, in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is embedded with its axial direction aligned substantially along the longitudinal direction, which is the extension direction of the roof side rail 28. This inflator is activated in the event of a side collision of the automobile 12, and is capable of instantly supplying gas into the interior of the curtain airbag 32.

[0035] The curtain airbag 32 is constructed by, for example, one-piece woven (abbreviated as OPW) method. In the OPW method, a seamless bag body is formed by simultaneously weaving two base fabrics using a Jacquard loom and multi-weaving required areas.

[0036] The manufacturing method of the curtain airbag 32 is not limited to the above-described OPW method. For example, the curtain airbag 32 may be manufactured by sewing one or more base fabrics formed by cutting out a polyamide or polyester fabric material into a bag shape.

[0037] In addition, when the automobile 12 is involved in a side collision or rollover, the curtain airbag 32 is supplied with gas ejected from the inflator, causing it to inflate and deploy downward, and is formed to be large enough to cover, in a side view, at least the head H of an occupant P seated in the front vehicle seat 14 and at least the head of an occupant (not shown) seated in the rear vehicle seat 18 (only the front end of the seat cushion is shown in Figures 1 to 3).

[0038] That is, the curtain airbag 32 is configured to inflate and deploy in a curtain shape along the front side glass 24W of the front side door 24, approximately the upper half of the center pillar 25 extending in the up-down direction, and the rear side glass 26W of the rear side door 26. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of the curtain airbag 32 is the front-to-rear direction. The specific configuration of the curtain airbag 32 will be described in detail later.

[0039] The inflator of the side airbag device 20 and the inflator of the curtain airbag device 30 are each electrically connected to an airbag ECU (Electronic Control Unit: not shown) provided in the automobile 12. The airbag ECU is then electrically connected to a side collision sensor and a rollover sensor (both including a camera or the like: not shown) provided in the automobile 12.

[0040] The side impact sensor is configured to detect or predict a side impact of the automobile 12 and output a side impact signal to the airbag ECU. The rollover sensor is configured to detect or predict a rollover of the automobile 12 and output a rollover signal to the airbag ECU.

[0041] When a side collision signal is input, the airbag ECU is configured to activate the inflator of the side airbag device 20 on the side of the side collision (near side) and the inflator of the curtain airbag device 30. As a result, the near side side airbag 22 and the curtain airbag 32 are supplied with gas and inflate and deploy. Note that when a rollover signal is input, the airbag ECU is configured to activate the inflators of the left and right curtain airbag devices 30.

[0042] Furthermore, when a rollover signal is input after a side collision, the airbag ECU is configured to activate the inflator of the curtain airbag device 30 on the far side opposite to the near side that has already been activated. In addition to the airbag ECU, the automobile 12 is also equipped with a control device (not shown) that controls each part.

[0043] The curtain airbag 32 includes a curtain airbag main body 34 extending in the front-rear direction, and an expanded inflatable portion 36 formed integrally and continuously with the lower rear end of the curtain airbag main body 34. The curtain airbag main body 34 has a known configuration, and is formed at a plurality of predetermined locations with inflatable portions (not shown) that are filled with gas and non-inflatable portions (not shown) that partition a gas supply passage.

[0044] The inflation portion formed in the curtain airbag main body 34 restrains and protects at least the head H of an occupant P seated in the front vehicle seat 14 and at least the head of an occupant seated in the rear vehicle seat 18. Note that the outer peripheral edges of the curtain airbag 32, i.e., the upper edge 34U, lower edge 34D, front edge 34F, and rear edge (not shown) of the curtain airbag main body 34, and the front edge 36F, lower edge 36D, and rear edge 36B of the expanded inflation portion 36, are not filled with gas and are non-inflatable portions.

[0045] Furthermore, a plurality of fixing tabs 33 are provided extending upward from the upper edge portion 34U of the curtain airbag main body 34. Each fixing tab 33 is formed by cutting out a base fabric similar to the base fabric of the curtain airbag main body 34 into a substantially rectangular shape, and is joined to the upper edge portion 34U of the curtain airbag main body 34 by sewing. Note that each fixing tab 33 may be configured to extend integrally from the upper edge portion 34U of the curtain airbag main body 34.

[0046] Each fixing tab 33 is located on the roof side rail 28 that includes the rear end of the front pillar 23 and the front end of the rear pillar. That is, each fixing tab 33 is fixed to the roof side rail 28 that extends from the rear end of the front pillar 23 to the front end of the rear pillar by fasteners (not shown), such as clips, bolts, and nuts. Normally, the curtain airbag 32 is stored in the roof side rail 28 together with the inflator in a long roll shape with its axial direction extending approximately in the front-to-rear direction.

[0047] The expanding and inflating portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 is arranged to be positioned so as to overlap the head center Hc of the occupant P in a side view when the vehicle seat 14 is slid to a predetermined rearward position and the seatback 16 is tilted backward to the recommended limit position in a comfortable position. Note that the "predetermined position" here refers to the rearmost position of the vehicle seat 14 or a position up to 50 mm forward from the rearmost position. The "head center Hc" refers to the center of the head H of the occupant P in a side view, and is the portion indicated by the circular dashed line in FIG. 3.

[0048] The expanded and deployed expanding portion 36 is formed in a generally trapezoidal shape that extends below the door belt line BL in a side view and is in contact with the door trim 26T of the rear side door 26 (see FIG. 1). This provides sliding resistance (frictional force) of the expanding and deployed portion 36 against the door trim 26T, thereby suppressing or preventing the expanding and deployed portion 36 from moving outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0049] 3, the lower end (lower edge 36D) of the inflation portion 36A filled with gas of the inflated and deployed expanding inflation portion 36 is located below the head center Hc of the occupant P in a side view. Specifically, the lower end of the inflation portion 36A of the expanding inflation portion 36 is located, for example, 40 mm or more below the head center Hc of the occupant P in a side view. Therefore, the head H of the occupant P receives a reliable reaction force from the expanding inflation portion 36, and is appropriately restrained and protected by the expanding inflation portion 36.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the inflated and deployed expansion section 36 is positioned so as not to overlap, in a side view, with the inflation and deployment area of ​​the side airbag 22 when the vehicle seat 14 is slid rearward to the predetermined position.

[0051] More specifically, within the range in which the vehicle seat 14 moves from the frontmost position to the rearmost position, the inflated and deployed side airbag 22 moves in a parallel motion as shown by the phantom line in Fig. 4. Then, when the seat back 16 is tilted backward to a comfortable position at the rearmost position, the inflated and deployed side airbag 22 moves downward with its lower end portion as a pivot point as shown by the solid line in Fig. 4.

[0052] In this way, when the vehicle seat 14 slides to the rearmost position and then the seat back 16 is tilted backward to a comfortable position, the movement area of ​​the inflated and deployed side airbag 22 is the above-mentioned inflation and deployment area of ​​the side airbag 22, and the front edge 36F of the expanding inflation portion 36 is located rearward of the approximately arc-shaped movement trajectory K of the upper end of the side airbag 22.

[0053] Note that "not overlapping in side view" here means that the inflatable portion 36A of the expanding inflatable portion 36 does not overlap with the inflatable portion of the side airbag 22. Therefore, in the expanding inflatable portion 36, when only the front edge portion 36F and the lower edge portion 36D, which are non-inflatable portions that are not filled with gas in side view, overlap with the side airbag 22, this is included in "not overlapping in side view."

[0054] In other words, the leading edge portion 36F of the expanding inflation portion 36 shown in Figure 4 does not overlap the approximately arc-shaped movement trajectory K of the upper end of the side airbag 22, but as long as only the leading edge portion 36F (for example, if the width of the leading edge portion 36F is 30 mm, and it is 30 mm or less), there is no risk that the leading edge portion 36F will hinder the inflation and deployment of the side airbag 22, so the leading edge portion 36F may be configured to overlap the movement trajectory K.

[0055] Furthermore, if the vehicle seat 14 has not slid rearward to the predetermined position while the automobile 12 is traveling, the seat back 16 is prohibited from tilting backward to the comfortable position. That is, when a position sensor (not shown) detects that the vehicle seat 14 has not slid rearward to the predetermined position, and in this state, even if a switch for tilting the seat back 16 is turned on, the control device controls the motor (not shown) to prevent current from flowing to the motor for tilting the seat back 16.

[0056] It should be noted that the vehicle 12 may be configured to issue a warning if the seat back 16 is tilted backward to the comfortable position when the vehicle seat 14 has not yet slid to the predetermined rear position while the vehicle 12 is traveling. That is, the vehicle may be configured to be controlled by the control device so that, for example, a warning sound or voice is issued from a speaker (not shown) provided in the vehicle compartment, or a warning is displayed on a display (not shown) provided in the vehicle compartment when a position sensor detects that the vehicle seat 14 has not yet slid to the predetermined rear position and a switch for tilting the seat back 16 is turned on in that state.

[0057] Furthermore, in the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment, when the vehicle 12 is traveling in automatic driving mode and the seat back 16 is in a comfortable position and the vehicle seat 14 is slid forward, the center Hc of the occupant P's head is deemed to be outside the expansion and deployment area of ​​the expanding expansion section 36 in a side view, and the seat back 16 is configured to automatically rise up.

[0058] In other words, an angle sensor (not shown) detects that the seat back 16 is in a comfortable position, and when a position sensor detects that the vehicle seat 14 has been slid forward in that state, the motor that tilts the seat back 16 is automatically energized, and the control device controls the seat back 16 to automatically rise up.

[0059] Next, the operation of the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0060] When a side impact sensor detects that the automobile 12 has experienced a side impact, the side impact sensor sends a side impact signal to the airbag ECU. When the side impact signal is input to the airbag ECU, the airbag ECU activates the inflator of the side airbag device 20 and the inflator of the curtain airbag device 30 on the side of the side impact (the right side in the illustrated example), causing gas to instantly be ejected into the side airbag 22 and the curtain airbag 32. In other words, the airbag ECU inflates and deploys the side airbag 22 and the curtain airbag 32.

[0061] As a result, even when the vehicle seat 14 is positioned in the frontmost position as shown in FIG. 1, or when the vehicle seat 14 is positioned in the rearmost position as shown in FIG. 2, in a side view, at least the waist to shoulder regions of the occupant P are restrained and protected by the side airbag 22, and at least the head H of the occupant P is restrained and protected by the curtain airbag body 34 of the curtain airbag 32.

[0062] When the automobile 12 is traveling autonomously, the vehicle seat 14 may be positioned in the rearmost position and the seatback 16 may be tilted backward to the recommended limit position, resulting in a comfortable posture, as shown in Figure 3. If a side impact sensor detects a side collision of the automobile 12 in this state, the airbag ECU inflates and deploys the side airbag 22 and the curtain airbag 32, as described above, but the curtain airbag 32 is provided with an expansion inflation portion 36.

[0063] Here, since the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 14 is specified as being tilted backward to the comfortable position as described above, the position of the headrest 17 is limited to a specific position on the lower side. In other words, the position of the head center Hc of the occupant P, and therefore the entire position of the head H of the occupant P, is limited to a position that overlaps with the expanding inflation portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in a side view.

[0064] Therefore, in the event of a side collision of the automobile 12, it is possible to suppress or prevent the head H of the occupant P from coming out of the expanding inflation portion 36, which is one of the inflation portions of the curtain airbag 32. In other words, it is possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the restraining performance of the curtain airbag 32 with respect to the head H of the occupant P, and it is possible to restrain and protect the head H of the occupant P by the expanding inflation portion 36.

[0065] Furthermore, if the specified position on the rear side of the vehicle seat 14 is the rearmost position or up to 50 mm from the rearmost position toward the front of the vehicle, the position of the head center Hc of the occupant P, and ultimately the overall position of the head H of the occupant P, can be more precisely limited, and the position of the expanding inflation portion 36 formed integrally with the curtain airbag 32 can be more precisely specified, thereby suppressing unnecessary increases in the capacity of the curtain airbag 32 and the accompanying increase in inflator output.

[0066] Furthermore, the expanding and deploying portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 is positioned so as not to overlap, in a side view, with the area of ​​the side airbag 22 that is inflated and deployed when the vehicle seat 14 is slid rearward to the predetermined position. Therefore, when the curtain airbag 32 is inflated and deployed, the expanding and deploying portion 36 can be prevented from interfering with (hitting) the side airbag 22, and the curtain airbag 32 can be normally inflated and deployed downward.

[0067] Furthermore, the lower end of the inflated and deployed expanding portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 is located below the head center Hc of the occupant P, which corresponds to the AF05 dummy, in a side view. Therefore, even if the occupant P seated on the seat cushion 15 of the vehicle seat 14 is a small occupant corresponding to the AF05 dummy, the head H of the occupant P can be suppressed or prevented from coming off the expanding expanding portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in the event of a side collision of the automobile 12.

[0068] Furthermore, the inflated and deployed expanding portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 comes into contact with the door trim 26T below the door belt line BL. Therefore, the expanding and deployed portion 36 is restrained or prevented from moving outward in the vehicle width direction, and the expanding and deployed portion 36 can restrain or prevent a decrease in the restraint performance for the head H of the occupant P and can improve the function of preventing the occupant P from being ejected from the vehicle in the event of a rollover (sideways over) of the automobile 12.

[0069] Furthermore, in the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment, if the vehicle seat 14 has not slid rearward to the predetermined rearward position while the vehicle 12 is traveling, the seat back 16 is prohibited from tilting backward to the comfortable position. This more reliably prevents the head H of the occupant P from coming out of the expanding and inflating portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in the event of a side collision of the vehicle 12.

[0070] It should be noted that, when the seat back 16 is tilted backward to the comfortable position while the vehicle seat 14 has not yet slid rearward to the predetermined position while the vehicle 12 is traveling, an alarm may be sounded or voiced, or a warning may be displayed on the display. In this case, the occupant P can be prompted to slide the vehicle seat 14 rearward to the predetermined position, thereby preventing the head H of the occupant P from coming out of the expanding and inflating portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in the event of a side collision of the vehicle 12.

[0071] Furthermore, in the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment, when the vehicle 12 is traveling in an autonomous mode and the vehicle seat 14 is slid forward with the seat back 16 in a comfortable position, it is determined that the center Hc of the occupant P's head is out of the inflation and deployment area of ​​the expanding and inflating portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in a side view, and the seat back 16 automatically rises. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the head H of the occupant P from being out of the inflation and deployment area of ​​the expanding and inflating portion 36 of the curtain airbag 32 in a side collision of the vehicle 12.

[0072] The vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to the illustrated one, and the design can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the vehicle occupant protection device 10 according to this embodiment can also be applied to a passenger seat 14. Therefore, the vehicle according to this embodiment is not limited to an autonomously driven automobile 12.

[0073] Furthermore, the vehicle seat 14 is not limited to a configuration in which it slides and tilts electrically, but may be configured to slide and tilt manually. In this case, the position and rearward tilt angle of the vehicle seat 14 can be detected by a detection means such as a camera installed in the vehicle compartment. In this case, the seat back 16 does not automatically tilt, so a function to issue the above-mentioned warning will be installed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10. Vehicle occupant protection device 12 Automobiles (vehicles) 14 Vehicle seats 15 seat cushion 16 Seat back 22 Side airbags 26T door trim 28 Roof side rail 32 Curtain airbag 36 Expanding expansion section 36D Lower edge (lower edge) BL Door Belt Line Hc head center P crew

Claims

1. a side airbag mounted on a seat back of a vehicle seat on a side portion on an outer side in a vehicle width direction, and inflated and deployed toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction of an occupant seated on a seat cushion of the vehicle seat by supplying gas thereto in the event of a side collision of the vehicle; a curtain airbag that is mounted on at least a roof side rail of a vehicle and that inflates and deploys downward of the vehicle when gas is supplied thereto in the event of a side collision of the vehicle; Equipped with The curtain airbag is The vehicle occupant protection device has an expanding inflatable portion that overlaps with the center of the occupant's head in a side view when the vehicle seat is slid to a predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle and the seat back is tilted backward to the recommended limit position to assume a comfortable position.

2. 2. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is a rearmost position or a position up to 50 mm forward of the rearmost position.

3. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the inflated and deployed expansion portion is positioned in a position that does not overlap, in a side view, with an inflation and deployment area of ​​the side airbag when the vehicle seat is slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle.

4. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein a lower end of the inflated and deployed expanding portion is located below the center of the head of an occupant corresponding to an AF05 dummy in a side view.

5. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the expanding and deployed portion is in contact with a door trim below a door belt line of the vehicle.

6. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the seat back is prevented from tilting backward to the comfortable position unless the vehicle seat is slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling.

7. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein a warning is issued when the seat back is tilted backward to the comfortable position while the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle seat has not yet slid to the predetermined position toward the rear of the vehicle.

8. 3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the seat back is configured to automatically rise when the vehicle seat is slid toward the front of the vehicle while the occupant is in the comfortable position while the vehicle is traveling.

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