Occupant protection device

Abstract

To provide an occupant crash protection device capable of being easily assembled to a seat and accurately protecting an occupant.SOLUTION: The occupant protection device S1 includes two airbags 12L and 12R which are folded and stored on the left end side and the right end side of the back rest part 4 in the seat 1 and are inflated so as to be able to protect the left and right shoulder parts MSL and MSR of the occupant MP, respectively, and regulating members 15L and 15R which are formed of a flexible long body, are stored in a region from the back rest part 4 to the seat part 6, protrude from the seat with the inflation of each airbag, and can press the front surface side of each airbag when the inflation is completed. The regulation member has front side parts 16L, 16R stored in the seat part and rear side parts 17L, 17R stored in the back rest part, which are formed separately from each other, and connects corresponding end parts of the front side parts and the rear side parts to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device capable of protecting an occupant seated in a seat. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an occupant protection device capable of protecting an occupant seated in a seat has been configured to restrain the upper half of the occupant's body with two airbags stored in the backrest of the seat and configured to cover the left and right shoulders of the occupant when fully inflated, by using a flexible, elongated restricting member to press down on the front sides of the airbags (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this conventional occupant protection device, the restricting member is stored in an area extending from the inside of the backrest to the inside of the seat, and is positioned so as to protrude from the seat (backrest and seat) as the airbags inflate and press down on the front sides of the inflated airbags. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 17281 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in conventional passenger protection devices, the restraining member is integrally formed from the backrest to the seat, with the front end connected to each other within the seat via a connecting member and the rear end connected to the inside of the backrest. This makes the assembly work to the seat (attaching work to the backrest and seat) complicated, and there is room for improvement in terms of improving the ease of assembly work to the seat.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an occupant protection device that is easy to assemble to a seat and can adequately protect an occupant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The occupant protection device according to the present invention is an occupant protection device capable of protecting an occupant seated in a seat having a backrest portion and a seat portion, two airbags that are folded and stored at the left and right end sides of the backrest portion, and that are inflated by flowing inflation gas thereinto so as to protrude forward and are configured to protect at least the left and right shoulders of an occupant, respectively; a restricting member formed of a flexible elongated body, with both ends attached to the seat, stored in the area from the backrest to the seat, and protruding from the seat as each airbag inflates to be able to hold down the front side of each airbag when inflation is complete; The device is configured to include: The restricting member is characterized in that it has a front part that is stored in the seat part and a rear part that is stored in the backrest part, each of which is made separate, and is configured by connecting the corresponding ends of the front part and the rear part to each other.

[0007] In the occupant protection device of the present invention, the restricting member is stored in the region from the backrest to the seat, but this restricting member has a front portion stored in the seat, which are separate bodies, and a rear portion stored in the backrest, and is configured by connecting corresponding ends of the front portion and the rear portion to each other. Therefore, when assembling the restricting member to the seat, after attaching the front portion to the seat and the rear portion to the backrest, the restricting member can be assembled to the seat by connecting the ends exposed from the seat or the backrest to each other, which makes the assembly to the seat easier than when the entire restricting member is configured as an integral unit. Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the present invention, the front side of each airbag that inflates to cover the left and right shoulders of the occupant can be held down by a restricting member, so that the left and right shoulders can be accurately restrained while preventing each airbag from moving away from the occupant, and the occupant can be stably protected by preventing the upper body from moving forward.

[0008] Therefore, the occupant protection device of the present invention can be easily assembled to the seat and can adequately protect the occupant.

[0009] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the present invention, if the connecting portion connecting the ends of the front and rear portions to each other is configured to be exposed to the outside of the cushion that forms the backrest and seat portion, the length dimensions of the front and rear portions can be set so that a certain amount of excess is left at the end portions (near the terminals) of the front and rear portions that are connected to each other, which makes the connecting work even easier and is therefore preferable.

[0010] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the above configuration, if the outer periphery of the connecting portion is covered by a side cover that is arranged to cover the side of the sitting portion of the seat, even if the connecting portion is exposed to the outside of the cushion, since the outer periphery is covered by the side cover, it cannot be seen by the occupant, which improves the design and is therefore preferable.

[0011] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the above configuration, if the airbag is configured to have an insertion portion disposed on the front side thereof when inflation is complete, through which the rear portion is inserted, the airbag is connected to the regulating member by inserting the rear portion into the insertion portion, and the position of the rear portion (regulating member) relative to the airbag when inflation is complete can be regulated (the positional deviation of the regulating member relative to the airbag can be suppressed), and the regulating member can reliably hold down the front side of each airbag when inflation is complete, which is preferable.

[0012] Furthermore, the occupant protection device having the above configuration may further comprise two lower leg protection bags that are folded and stored on the left and right end sides of the seat portion, and are configured to inflate so as to protrude upward when inflation gas is introduced into the bags, thereby covering the sides of the occupant's thighs, respectively. It is preferable that a lower insertion portion for inserting the front portion be disposed on the outer surface of each lower limb protection bag, which will be on the outer left and right sides when the bag is fully inflated.

[0013] With the above-described configuration of the occupant protection device, the sides of the left and right thighs of the occupant can be covered by the inflated lower leg protection bags with the outer surfaces pressed down by the restricting members. Therefore, by restraining the left and right shoulders with the two airbags, forward movement of the upper body can be restricted, and at the same time, by restraining the left and right thighs with the two lower leg protection bags, movement of the lower body in the lateral direction can also be restricted, making it possible to more accurately restrain the occupant. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a seat equipped with an occupant protection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a seat on which an occupant protection device according to a first embodiment is mounted. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the seat of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of the seat of FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a front view of a seat in a state where an airbag has completed inflation in an occupant protection device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view of a seat in a state where an airbag has completed inflation in an occupant protection device of a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a side view of a seat equipped with an occupant protection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of the seat of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 10 is a front view of a seat in a state where an airbag and a lower limb protection bag have completed inflation in an occupant protection device of a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a side view of a seat in a state where an airbag and a lower limb protection bag have completed inflation in an occupant protection device of a second embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an occupant protection device S1 of a first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle seat 1 and includes two airbags 12L and 12R, two inflators 10L and 10R that supply inflation gas to the airbags 12L and 12R, and two restricting members 15L and 15R that can hold down the front sides of the airbags 12L and 12R when they are fully inflated. In this embodiment, the airbags 12L and 12R, the inflators 10L and 10R, and the restricting members 15L and 15R are provided as a pair on the left and right sides, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. In this embodiment, the airbag 12L, the inflator 10L, and the restricting member 15L that are arranged on the left side will be described in detail. The airbag 12R, inflator 10R, and restricting member 15R arranged on the right side are denoted by the same reference numerals with the suffix "R" and will not be described in detail. In the embodiment, the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions will be described as being the same as the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions relative to the occupant MP seated in the seat 1, unless otherwise specified.

[0016] 1, 2, and 4, in this embodiment, the seat 1 includes a backrest 4 with a headrest 5 disposed at the upper end, a seat portion 6, and side covers 7L and 7R that cover both sides of the seat portion 6. Although not shown in detail, the backrest 4 and seat portion 6 are configured such that cushions 4a and 6a are disposed around a seat frame 2, and the outer surfaces of the cushions 4a and 6a are covered with upholstery 4b and 6b. The side covers 7L and 7R are disposed to cover the sides of the seat portion 6 from the sides to the lower end of the backrest 4, including the area of ​​the lower end of the seat frame 2 that is exposed below the seat portion 6 (see FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0017] The inflator 10L is disposed at the left end of the backrest 4, slightly above the center in the vertical direction (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4), and in the present embodiment, although a detailed description is omitted, is attached to the seat frame 2. Although a detailed illustration is omitted, the inflator 10L has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and is connected to the airbag 12L so as to be able to supply inflation gas into the airbag 12L when activated.

[0018] The airbag 12L is folded and stored at the left end of the backrest 4, and is a bag-shaped bag made of a flexible sheet. Although not shown in detail, the airbag 12L is connected to an inflator 10L so that inflation gas can flow into the airbag 12L. The airbag 12L is attached to the seat frame 2 together with the inflator 10L by attaching the inflator 10L to the seat frame 2. The airbag 12L is inflated by the flow of inflation gas into the airbag 12L, and although not shown in detail, the airbag 12L is configured to inflate by protruding forward so as to separate the cushion 4a and the upholstery 4b of the backrest 4. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the airbag 12L is fully inflated, it protrudes forward significantly and is pressed against the front side by a restricting member 15L, so that it can widely cover the area around the left shoulder MSL of the occupant MP. The airbag 12L also has an insertion portion 13L on its front side when fully inflated, into which a rear portion 17L (described later) of the restricting member 15L can be inserted. The insertion portion 13L is in the shape of a strip extending substantially along the up-down direction on the side of the upper front surface 12a of the airbag 12L when fully inflated, and both edges of the insertion portion 13L are joined to the airbag 12L, thereby allowing the rear portion 17L to be inserted between the airbag 12L and the insertion portion 13L (see FIG. 5).

[0019] The restricting member 15L is formed of a flexible, elongated body, and may be made of, for example, the same material as that used for seat belts. The restricting member 15L is housed in the region extending from the backrest 4 to the seat bottom 6, with both ends attached to the seat 1. Specifically, the restricting member 15L is comprised of a front portion 16L housed in the seat bottom 6 and a rear portion 17L housed in the backrest 4, each of which is a separate body. The front portion 16L is disposed near the left edge of the seat bottom 6 and extends substantially along the front-to-rear direction. A front end 16a is fixed to the front end of the seat frame 2 by a predetermined attachment means (not shown in detail). A rear end 16b of the front portion 16L is exposed rearward of the cushion 6a (skin 6b) constituting the seat bottom 6 (see FIG. 3). The rear portion 17L is disposed near the left edge of the backrest 4 so as to generally follow the backrest 4, and has an upper end 17a fixed to the vicinity of the upper end of the seat frame 2 (a member for fixing the headrest 5) using a predetermined attachment means (not shown in detail). The rear portion 17L is housed in the backrest 4 while being inserted through the insertion portion 13R of the folded airbag 12L (not shown in detail). The lower end 17b of the rear portion 17L is exposed below the cushion 4a (skin 4b) constituting the backrest 4 (see FIG. 3). The rear end 16b of the front portion 16L and the lower end 17b of the rear portion 17L are connected to each other using a connecting member (a rivet (not shown in detail in the embodiment)). The connecting portion 18L, which interconnects the rear end 16b of the front portion 16L and the lower end 17b of the rear portion 17L, is exposed to the outside of the cushions 4a, 6a that constitute the backrest portion 4 and the seat portion 6, as shown in Figure 3, but is located in an area covered by the side cover 7L.

[0020] The restricting member 15L protrudes forward as the airbag 12L inflates, but protrudes forward so as to separate the cushions 4a, 6a and the upholstery 4b, 6b in the backrest 4 and the seat 6, respectively. The restricting member 15L is connected to the airbag 12L by inserting a rear portion 17L into an insertion portion 13L provided in the airbag 12L, and therefore, when the airbag 12L has completed inflation, the restricting member 15L is positioned to press the front side of the airbag 12L while being prevented from shifting positionally relative to the airbag 12L (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0021] In the embodiment, the volume of the airbag 12L when it is fully inflated (the amount of forward protrusion when it is fully inflated) and the length dimension of the regulating member 15L are set to such a volume and dimension that they do not hinder the smooth inflation of the airbag 12L, and that they generate tension in the regulating member 15L when the airbag 12L is fully inflated, thereby enabling it to accurately hold down the front side of the airbag 12L (enabling it to regulate the forward movement of the airbag 12L associated with the forward movement of the upper body of the occupant MP).

[0022] The occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment can be mounted on the seat 1 as follows. First, the folded airbags 12L, 12R and the inflators 10L, 10R are attached to the seat frame 2, respectively. At this time, the rear portions 17L, 17R of the restricting members 15L, 15R are inserted into the insertion portions 13L, 13R provided on the airbags 12L, 12R. Next, the upper ends 17a of the rear portions 17L, 17R are fixed to the upper end of the seat frame 2 using a predetermined attachment means or the like. In addition, the front ends 16a of the front portions 16L, 16R of the restricting members 15L, 15R are fixed to the front end of the seat frame 2 using a predetermined attachment means or the like. Thereafter, the cushions 4a, 6a and upholstery sheets 4b, 6b constituting the backrest 4 and the seat 6 are respectively assembled to the seat frame 2, and the lower ends 17b of the rear portions 17L, 17R exposed from the cushion 4a of the backrest 4 are connected to the rear ends 16b of the front portions 16L, 16R exposed from the cushion 6a of the seat 6 using rivets as connecting members. Next, the side covers 7L, 7R are attached to the seat frame 2 so as to cover the outer peripheries of connecting portions 18L, 18R connecting the lower ends 17b of the rear portions 17L, 17R to the rear ends 16b of the front portions 16L, 16R and to the sides of the seat 6, thereby enabling the occupant protection device S1 to be mounted on the seat 1. Thereafter, the seat 1 is mounted on the vehicle, and the inflators 10L, 10R are electrically connected to a predetermined bag activation circuit of the vehicle, thereby enabling the occupant protection device S1 to be mounted on the vehicle. Note that the assembly procedure is not limited to that described in the embodiment, and the airbags 12L, 12R, the inflators 10L, 10R, the upper ends 17a of the rear portions 17L, 17R, and the front ends 16a of the front portions 16L, 16R may be attached to the seat frame 2, and then the rear portions 17L, 17R may be inserted into the insertion portions 13L, 13R provided on the airbags 12L, 12R.

[0023] In the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, when the inflators 10L, 10R are activated while the occupant MP is seated in the seat 1 installed in the vehicle, the airbags 12L, 12R are inflated by the inflation gas discharged from the inflators 10L, 10R flowing into them, causing the airbags 12L, 12R to protrude forward from the backrest 4. At this time, the restricting members 15L, 15R also protrude from the seat 1 (the backrest 4 and the seat cushion 6) as the airbags 12L, 12R inflate, and the airbags 12L, 12R complete inflation so as to cover the front of the left and right shoulders MSL, MSR of the occupant MP, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4 and in FIGS. 5 and 6. When the airbags 12L, 12R complete inflation, tension is generated in the restricting members 15L, 15R, pressing against the front sides of the airbags 12L, 12R.

[0024] In the first embodiment of the occupant protection device S1, the regulating members 15L, 15R are stored in the area from the backrest portion 4 to the seat portion 6, but these regulating members 15L, 15R have front portions 16L, 16R stored in the seat portion 6, which are separate bodies, and rear portions 17L, 17R stored in the backrest portion 4, and are configured by connecting the corresponding end portions 16b, 17b of these front portions 16L, 16R and rear portions 17L, 17R to each other. Therefore, when assembling the restricting members 15L, 15R to the seat 1, the front portions 16L, 16R are attached to the seat portion 6 and the rear portions 17L, 17R are attached to the backrest 4, and then the end portions 16b, 17b exposed from the seat portion 6 or the backrest 4 are connected to each other, thereby making it possible to assemble the restricting members 15L, 15R to the seat 1. This makes the assembling work to the seat easier than when the entire restricting member is configured as an integral part. Also, in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, the restricting members 15L, 15R can press down the front sides of the airbags 12L, 12R that are inflated to cover the left and right shoulders MSL, MSR of the occupant MP. Therefore, the airbags 12L, 12R can be prevented from moving away from the occupant MP and can accurately restrain the left and right shoulders MSL, MSR. This allows the occupant MP to be stably protected by preventing the upper body from moving forward.

[0025] Therefore, the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment can be easily assembled to the seat 1 and can adequately protect the occupant MP.

[0026] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, the connecting portions 18L, 18R connecting the ends 16b, 17b of the front portions 16L, 16R and the rear portions 17L, 17R to each other are configured to be exposed to the outside of the cushions 4a, 6a constituting the backrest 4 and the seat 6. Therefore, the length dimensions of the front portions 16L, 16R and the rear portions 17L, 17R can be set so as to leave a certain amount of excess at the ends 16b, 17b (near the terminals) of the front portions 16L, 16R and the rear portions 17L, 17R, which are connected to each other, making the connecting work even easier. If this point is not taken into consideration, the length dimensions of the front portions and the rear portions may not be set to dimensions that expose the ends, but may be configured so that the front portions and the rear portions are connected to each other at positions that are covered by the cushions constituting the backrest or the seat.

[0027] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, the outer peripheries of the connecting portions 18L, 18R are covered by the side covers 7L, 7R that are arranged to cover the sides of the sitting portion 6 of the seat 1. Therefore, even if the connecting portions 18L, 18R are exposed to the outside of the cushions 4a, 6a, the outer peripheries are covered by the side covers 7L, 7R, making them invisible to the occupant MP, thereby improving the design. Note that, if this point is not taken into consideration, even if the connecting members are exposed to the outside of the cushions, they can be installed in a type of seat that does not have side covers.

[0028] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, the airbags 12L, 12R are configured to have insertion portions 13L, 13R for inserting the rear portions 17L, 17R on their front sides when fully inflated. That is, in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, the rear portions 17L, 17R are inserted into the insertion portions 13L, 13R, so that the airbags 12L, 12R are connected to the restricting members 15L, 15R, thereby restricting the position of the rear portions 17L, 17R (restricting members 15L, 15R) relative to the airbags 12L, 12R when fully inflated (suppressing misalignment of the restricting members 15L, 15R relative to the airbags 12L, 12R). Therefore, the restricting members 15L, 15R can reliably press the front sides of the airbags 12L, 12R when fully inflated. If the restricting member does not significantly shift position relative to the airbag and can hold down the front side of the airbag, it is not necessary to provide the airbag with an insertion portion through which the rear portion of the restricting member is inserted.

[0029] Next, an occupant protection device S2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the occupant protection device S2 of the second embodiment includes, in addition to the components of the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, two lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R that respectively cover the sides of the thighs MTL, MTR of the occupant MP, and two lower inflators 25L, 25R that supply inflation gas to the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R. The two airbags 12AL, 12AR, inflators 10AL, 10AR housed in the backrest 4, and restriction members 15AL, 15AR housed from the backrest 4 to the seat 6 are similar in configuration to those used in the occupant protection device S1 of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are denoted with "A" and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the occupant protection device S2 of the second embodiment, in addition to the left and right pair of airbags 12AL, 12AR, inflators 10AL, 10AR, and restricting members 15AL, 15AR, the left and right lower limb protection bags 27L, 27R and lower inflators 25L, 25R are also provided as left and right pairs (see FIG. 8). In the occupant protection device S2 of the second embodiment, the left lower limb protection bag 27L and the lower inflator 25L will be described in detail, and a detailed description of the right lower limb protection bag 27R and the lower inflator 25R will be omitted.

[0030] In the occupant protection device S2 of this second embodiment, the capacity (amount of forward protrusion when fully inflated) of the airbag 12AL is set to be slightly smaller than that of the airbag 12L of the first embodiment described above, due to the provision of the lower limb protection bag 27L (see Figures 9 and 10).

[0031] 7 and 8, the lower inflator 25L is disposed on the left end side of the seat portion 6, and in the embodiment, although a detailed description will be omitted, is attached to the seat frame 2. Although a detailed illustration will be omitted, this lower inflator 25L, like the inflator 10AL, has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and is connected to the lower limb protection bag 27L so as to be able to supply inflation gas into the lower limb protection bag 27L when activated.

[0032] The lower leg protection bag 27L is folded and stored at the left end of the seat 6, and is a bag-shaped bag made of a flexible sheet. Like the airbag 12AL, the lower leg protection bag 27L is connected to the lower inflator 25L so that inflation gas can flow into the bag. The lower leg protection bag 27L is attached to the seat frame 2 together with the lower inflator 25L by attaching the lower inflator 25L to the seat frame 2. The lower leg protection bag 27L is inflated by the flow of inflation gas into the bag. Although not shown in detail, the lower leg protection bag 27L is configured to inflate by protruding upward so as to separate the cushion 6a and the cover 6b of the seat 6. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lower leg protection bag 27L is configured to protrude upward significantly upon completion of inflation, widely covering the left side of the thighs MTL of the occupant MP. Specifically, the lower limb protection bag 27L has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the left and right direction, and is configured so that its upper end at the time of full inflation comes into contact with the lower end of the airbag 12AL at the time of full inflation (see FIG. 10). An insertion portion 28L through which the front portion 16AL of the restricting member 15AL can be inserted is provided on an outer surface 27a of the lower limb protection bag 27L, which will be on the outer left and right sides at the time of full inflation. The insertion portion 28L is strip-shaped (inclined with respect to the up-down direction so that the lower end faces forward) on the outer surface 27a of the lower limb protection bag 27L at the time of full inflation, and both edges of the insertion portion 28L are joined to the lower limb protection bag 27L, thereby allowing the front portion 16AL to be inserted between the lower limb protection bag 27L and the insertion portion 28L (see FIG. 10). As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the lower limb protection bag 27L is fully inflated, the left side surface (outer surface 27a) of the lower limb protection bag 27L, which is the outer side of the left and right sides, is pressed down by the restricting member 15AL.

[0033] In the occupant protection device S2 of the second embodiment, when the inflators 10AL, 10AR and the lower inflators 25L, 25R are activated while the occupant MP is seated in the seat 1 installed in the vehicle, the airbags 12AL, 12AR are inflated by the inflation gas discharged from the inflators 10AL, 10AR flowing into them, and the airbags 12AL, 12AR are caused to protrude forward from the backrest 4. Similarly, the lower limb protection bags 27L, 27R are also inflated by the inflation gas discharged from the lower inflators 25L, 25R flowing into them, and the lower limb protection bags 27L, 27R are caused to protrude upward from the seat portion 6. At this time, the restricting members 15AL, 15AR also protrude from the seat 1 (the backrest 4 and the seat portion 6) as the airbags 12AL, 12AR and the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R inflate, and the airbags 12AL, 12AR complete inflation to cover the front of the left and right shoulders MSL, MSR of the occupant MP, and the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R complete inflation to cover the sides (outside the left and right) of the thighs MTL, MTR of the occupant MP (see FIGS. 9 and 10). When the airbags 12L, 12R and the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R complete inflation, tension is generated in the restricting members 15AL, 15AR, which press the front sides of the airbags 12L, 12R and the outer sides of the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R.

[0034] In the occupant protection device S2 of the second embodiment, the sides of the left and right thighs MTL, MTR of the occupant MP can be covered by the lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R that are inflated with the outer surfaces 27a thereof pressed by the restricting members 15AL, 15AR. Therefore, by restraining the left and right shoulders MSL, MSR with the two airbags 12AL, 12AR, forward movement of the upper body can be restricted, and at the same time, by restraining the left and right thighs MTL, MTR with the two lower leg protection bags 27L, 27R, movement of the lower body in the lateral direction can also be restricted, thereby making it possible to more accurately restrain the occupant MP.

[0035] In the embodiment, the restricting members 15L, 15R, 15AL, and 15AR are used as a pair of left and right restricting members configured separately, but the configuration of the restricting members is not limited to the embodiment. For example, a restricting member may be used in which the front portions are formed by connecting the front regions of the left and right restricting members to each other at their front ends to form an integrated structure. In the embodiment, the occupant protection devices S1 and S2 are installed on the seat 1 that does not have a seat belt, but they can also be installed on a seat that has a seat belt. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1...seat, 4...backrest portion, 4a...cushion, 6...seat portion, 6a...cushion, 7L, 7R...side cover, 10L, 10R, 10AL, 10AR...inflator, 12L, 12R, 12AL, 12AR...airbag, 13L, 13R, 13AL, 13AR...insertion portion, 15L, 15R, 15AL, 15AR...regulating member, 16L, 16R ,16AL,16AR...front part, 16b...rear end, 17L,17R,17AL,17AR...rear part, 17b...lower end, 18L,18R,18AL,18AR...connection part, 27L, 27R...lower limb protection bag, 27a...outer surface, 28L, 28R...insertion part, MP...occupant, MSL, MSR...shoulder, MTL, MTR...thigh, S1, S2...occupant protection device.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device capable of protecting an occupant seated in a seat having a backrest portion and a seat portion, two airbags that are folded and stored in the left and right end sides of the backrest portion, and that are inflated by flowing inflation gas thereinto so as to protrude forward and are configured to protect at least the left and right shoulders of the occupant, respectively; a restricting member formed of a flexible elongated body, with both ends attached to the seat, stored in a region extending from the backrest to the seat, and protruding from the seat as each airbag inflates to be able to hold down a front side of each airbag when inflation is complete; The device is configured to include: The occupant protection device is characterized in that the restricting member has a front portion that is stored within the seat portion and a rear portion that is stored within the backrest portion, each of which is separate, and is configured by connecting corresponding ends of the front portion and the rear portion to each other.

2. 2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein a connecting portion connecting the ends of the front portion and the rear portion to each other is arranged exposed to the outside of a cushion constituting the backrest portion and the seat portion.

3. 3. The occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the outer periphery of the connecting portion is covered by a side cover that is arranged to cover the side of the sitting portion of the seat.

4. 2. The passenger protection device according to claim 1, wherein each of the airbags has an insertion portion on the front side thereof after inflation, through which the rear portion is inserted.

5. two lower leg protection bags that are folded and stored on the left and right end sides of the seat, and that are inflated by flowing inflation gas thereinto so as to protrude upward and cover the sides of the thighs of the occupant, 5. The passenger protection device according to claim 4, wherein each of the lower limb protection bags has a lower insertion portion on its outer surface, which will be on the outer left and right sides when fully inflated, for inserting the front portion therethrough.

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