protective equipment

Abstract

To provide new technology that reduces injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision. [Solution] The protective device 10 comprises a knee pad portion 20 and a support adjustment mechanism portion 40 that supports the knee pad portion 20 so that the driver 2 can manually adjust the contact position of the knee pad portion 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective device for reducing the injury of a driver sitting in the driver's seat during a train collision.

Background Art

[0002] For example, as an automobile technology, an occupant protection device called a knee bolster is known. The knee bolster is disposed at a position facing the knees of an occupant in a driving posture in the vehicle, and reduces the injury of the occupant by alleviating the impact on the lower limbs (secondary collision) during an accident.

[0003] In order to reduce the injury during a secondary collision, it is important to suppress the speed during the secondary collision. The closer the distance between the knee bolster and the knees during the secondary collision, the higher the effect. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a knee bolster equipped with a drive mechanism for bringing the knee bolster closer to the knees.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When considering introducing the technology of the automobile in Patent Document 1 for occupant protection in a railway vehicle, many components such as a drive mechanism for moving the position of the knee bolster and a sensor for detecting the distance from a predetermined part of the occupant are required. In order to install these components inside the driver's cab, it is necessary to significantly revise the design of the driver's cab itself. Therefore, the manufacturing cost and the maintenance cost increase significantly. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the technology of the automobile in Patent Document 1 to railways.

[0006] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a new technology that reduces injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first invention for solving the above problems is a protective device for reducing injuries to a train driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision, comprising: a knee rest portion; and a support adjustment mechanism portion that supports the knee rest portion so that the contact position of the knee rest portion can be manually adjusted by the train driver.

[0008] In railways, due to braking distance considerations, there is often a time lag between the driver recognizing that a collision is unavoidable and the actual collision. Using the protective device of the first invention, the driver can manually adjust the contact position of the knee pad so that it touches their knee during that time to prepare for a collision. Alternatively, it is perfectly acceptable to have a rule that the driver must wear the knee pad against their knee while seated in the driver's seat while driving. In either case, injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision can be reduced. Furthermore, since the contact position of the knee pad can be adjusted to suit the size of each driver's lower limbs, it is possible to achieve a high level of effectiveness as a knee bolster.

[0009] The protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is a protective device having a front-to-back adjustment section for adjusting the front-to-back position of the knee pad.

[0010] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is attached to the driver's seat, and the support adjustment mechanism is a protective device having a deployment mechanism for deploying the knee pad from an unused state to an usable state and folding it back from the usable state to an unused state.

[0011] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is attached to the lower part of the driver's seat, and the deployment mechanism is a protective device that deploys the knee rest by pulling it forward from the lower part of the seat to change it from the unused state to the used state.

[0012] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is a protective device having a first arm portion that supports the knee pad portion so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted in the state of use, and a second arm portion that undulates as the posture relative to the first arm portion changes, and supports the knee pad portion so that its up-to-down position can be adjusted.

[0013] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism supports the knee rest so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted in the state of use, and has an arm portion, one end of which is pivotally supported on the driver's seat so that it can swing up and down, and the protective device is capable of adjusting the vertical position of the knee rest by adjusting the angle of the arm portion with respect to the seat surface of the driver's seat.

[0014] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is a protective device attached to the driver's cab.

[0015] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: The support adjustment mechanism is a protective device having a cushioning portion that cushions the impact force applied to the knee pad portion based on the forward inertia of the driver during a train collision.

[0016] Furthermore, the protective device described above may be configured as follows: it further comprises a body contact portion, and the support adjustment mechanism portion is a protective device that supports the body contact portion in a way that allows for adjustment of its front-to-back position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of the structure of protective equipment according to the first embodiment, the diagram showing the state of use. [Figure 2]A diagram showing a structural example of a protective device according to the first embodiment, showing the non-use state. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a structural example of the vertical adjustment part in the protective device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram for explaining the manual operation of changing the protective device according to the first embodiment from the non-use state to the use state. [Figure 5] A side view showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] A top view in the use state showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] A side view showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] A top view in the use state showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] A side view in the use state showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] A side view in the non-use state showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] A side view showing a configuration example of the support adjustment mechanism part in the protective device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view XII-XII of FIGS. 9 and 11. [Figure 13] A rear view of the protective device according to the fourth embodiment as seen from the rear (the driver's seat side). [Figure 14] A view seen from the rear showing a configuration example of the slide rocker. [Figure 15] A side view in the non-use state showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 16] A rear view showing a configuration example of a protective device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17] A side view in the use state of a protective device according to the fifth embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described, but it is needless to say that the forms to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the following embodiments.

[0019] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of protective equipment 10, and depicts its state of use. Figure 2 shows an example of the structure of protective equipment 10, and depicts the unused state. The forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions are described as directions from the perspective of the driver 2 seated in the driver's seat 4, facing the direction of vehicle travel.

[0020] The protective device 10 is a retractable protective device designed to reduce injuries to the driver 2 seated in the driver's seat 4 during a train collision. The protective device 10 has a knee rest 20 and a support adjustment mechanism 40, and is attached to the underside of the driver's seat 4.

[0021] The support adjustment mechanism 40 is a mechanism that supports the knee rest 20 so that the contact position between the knee rest 20 and the driver's knee can be manually adjusted by the driver 2. Specifically, the support adjustment mechanism 40 includes a front-to-back adjustment unit 50 for adjusting the front-to-back position of the knee rest 20, a back-to-back adjustment unit 60 for adjusting the up-to-down position of the knee rest 20, and an unfolding mechanism 90 (90A, 90B) for unfolding the knee rest 20 from an unused state to an usable state and folding it from an usable state to an unused state.

[0022] The front-to-back adjustment unit 50 includes a ratchet 51 having a left-to-right axis, a swingable frame 53 fixed to the rotation axis 52 of the ratchet 51 and capable of swinging back and forth, a ball lock pin 54, and a front-to-back slider 55.

[0023] The ratchet 51 is fixed to the underside of the seat top plate 4p, which spans the left and right crossbars 4y of the driver's seat 4. The rotation direction of the rotation shaft 52 of the ratchet 51 can be switched by operating a selector lever. Note that the initial rotation direction of the rotation shaft 52 of the ratchet 51 is clockwise in Figures 1 and 2.

[0024] The oscillating frame 53 is a long U-shaped steel (a steel material with a U-shaped cross-section) that opens upwards and in the longitudinal direction. In its unused state (see Figure 2), the oscillating frame 53 is hidden beneath the seat of the driver's seat 4 with its oscillating end facing rearward. In its unused state, the oscillating frame 53 is held in place by a clamping portion 4k attached to the underside of the seat top plate 4p (see Figure 1) of the driver's seat 4.

[0025] The clamping portion 4k may be realized, for example, by a pair of non-slip soft resin components. The rocking frame 53, which is clamped by the clamping portion 4k, will not be released from the clamping due to vibrations of the railway vehicle during normal operation, rotational movement of the driver's seat 4, or slight contact.

[0026] In the operating state (see Figure 1), the oscillating frame 53 is oscillated on the rotating shaft 52 by the driver 2's manual operation from the unused state to the operating state, causing the oscillating end to swing from rear to front. As a result, the oscillating frame 53 is pulled forward from below the seat portion of the driver's seat 4, extending forward from the center of the front end of the driver's seat 4.

[0027] The oscillating frame 53 has one end (axis side end) fixed to the rotation axis 52 of the ratchet 51, and the other end (oscillating axis) has a plurality of front-to-back position adjustment holes 53h. The plurality of front-to-back position adjustment holes 53h are holes through which a ball lock pin 54 can be inserted, and multiple holes are provided at different distances from the rotation axis 52. It is preferable that the clamping portion 4k has a convex portion that fits in with the hole where the ball lock pin 54 is not inserted, as this enhances the clamping effect.

[0028] The front and rear sliders 55 are structures that use the swing frame 53 as a guide rail and are loosely fitted to the inside of the U-shaped groove of the swing frame 53 so as to be movable back and forth, and have through holes (not shown) through which a ball lock pin 54 is inserted in the left and right direction.

[0029] In other words, driver 2 can adjust the fore-aft position of the fore-aft slider 55 by removing the ball lock pin 54. After adjustment, driver 2 can insert the ball lock pin 54 through the fore-aft position adjustment hole 53h and the fore-aft slider 55, thereby fixing the fore-aft position of the fore-aft slider 55 relative to the driver's seat 4.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an example of the structure of the vertical adjustment section 60. For convenience, the seat cushion 4cz and back cushion 4cs of the driver's seat 4 are shown with long dashed lines, and the knee rest section 20 is shown higher than its actual position. The cushioning section 70 is also shown in a partial cross-section.

[0031] The vertical adjustment section 60 includes a buffer section 70 that also serves as a base fixed on the front and rear sliders 55, vertical guide rails 64 erected on the buffer section 70, and vertical sliders 65 that are slidable relative to the vertical guide rails 64 and can be fixed at any position.

[0032] The cushioning section 70 is a structural part that cushions the impact force applied to the knee rest section 20 when the knee rest section 20 functions as a knee bolster during a collision. Specifically, the cushioning section 70 includes a storage section 71, a cushioning slider 72 that is guided to slide freely back and forth relative to the storage section 71, and a crushable cushioning material 73 enclosed within the storage section 71.

[0033] The storage compartment 71 is a long, box-shaped body that opens at the top and rear. Grooves are cut into the front and rear surfaces opposite the top opening, and the buffer slider 72 slides loosely into these grooves.

[0034] The cushioning slider 72, loosely fitted into the storage compartment 71, acts as a lid that closes the rear opening of the box-shaped body of the storage compartment 71. A crushable cushioning material 73 is enclosed between the front inner wall surface of the storage compartment 71 and the loosely fitted cushioning slider 72.

[0035] The crushable cushioning material 73 is a cushioning material that functions when the loosely fitted cushioning slider 72 moves forward, and efficiently absorbs kinetic energy by deforming and breaking when subjected to a load exceeding a standard in the front-rear direction. The crushable cushioning material 73 may be a compression-destruction type cushioning material, such as a honeycomb structure made of synthetic resin or a bellows structure made of metal.

[0036] Furthermore, if the storage compartment 71 is configured to open upwards and forwards, the crushable cushioning material 73 can be made of a material that absorbs kinetic energy through plastic deformation or fracture due to tension. For example, it may be a metal bellows structure or a belt-type shock absorber. As for the belt-type shock absorber, for example, a method may be adopted in which an accordion-folded belt is fixed with woven threads, and the impact is absorbed when the woven threads are cut.

[0037] The up and down slider 65 can be switched between a slidable, movable state and a fixed state by pinching and twisting the operating knob 66 ​​with the fingers. The up and down slider 65 also serves as the base 21 of the knee pad portion 20.

[0038] The knee pad portion 20 has a base portion 21 and left and right pad portions 23 pivotally supported to the base portion 21 by hinges 22.

[0039] The left and right backing plates 23 are closed when not in use, with their respective plate surfaces facing each other (see Figure 2), and when in use, they are extended with their pivoting ends pointing to the left / right and their plate surfaces facing in the front-to-back direction (see Figure 1). When the left and right backing plates 23 are extended, the ribs 24 protruding from the front-facing surface when extended come into contact with the base 21, defining the extension limit of the backing plates 23 and transmitting the load acting on the backing plates 23 from the rear to the hinge 22.

[0040] Figure 4 illustrates the manual operation for changing the protective device 10 from an unused state to an usable state. This operation may be performed by the driver 2 during the time before the collision when they realize that a collision is inevitable, or it may be performed by the driver 2 before taking the vehicle to ensure that the protective device is always in use while driving.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4(1), the protective device 10 has its front-to-back adjustment section 50 and up-to-down adjustment section 60 hidden under the seat of the driver's seat 4. The up-to-down adjustment section 60 is inverted and suspended.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4(2), the driver 2 places his hand behind the upper and lower guide rails 64 of the suspended vertical adjustment section 60 and pulls it forward.

[0043] This operation causes the oscillating frame 53 to oscillate back and forth around the rotation axis 52 of the ratchet 51, so that its oscillating end faces backward, then rotates under the ratchet 51 and faces forward. The oscillating motion of the oscillating frame 53 is restricted and forcibly stopped when the upper surface near the ratchet 51 comes into contact with the lower surface of the front end of the seat top plate 4p. Due to this oscillating motion, the oscillating frame 53 and the knee rest portion 20 are pulled forward from the underside of the seat portion of the driver's seat 4, so that they extend forward from the center of the left and right front ends of the driver's seat 4.

[0044] Next, driver 2 adjusts the front-to-back position. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4(3), driver 2 rotates the left and right backing plates 23 of the knee pad 20 with the hinges 22 to fully extend it from the folded state until the ribs 24 touch the base 21.

[0045] In other words, the hinge 22 functions as a first deployment mechanism 90A for unfolding the knee rest 20 from an unused state to an usable state and folding it from the usable state to an unused state. The ratchet 51 can be said to function as a second deployment mechanism 90B for unfolding the knee rest 20 from an unused state to an usable state by pulling it forward from the underside of the seat of the driver's seat 4.

[0046] Next, driver 2 straddles the rocking frame 53 and takes a seat. Then, he pulls out the ball lock pin 54 and slides the front-to-back slider 55 to adjust the backing plate 23 of the knee rest 20 so that it touches his knees. Simultaneously with adjusting the front-to-back position, he loosens the operating knob 66 ​​and adjusts the up-and-down position of the up-and-down slider 65 along the up-and-down guide rail 64.

[0047] Once the front-to-back and up-to-down position adjustments are complete, the driver 2 loosens the operating knob 66 ​​to fix the up-to-down position of the up-to-down slider 65, and inserts the ball lock pin 54, along with the front-to-back slider 55, into the front-to-back position adjustment hole 53h closest to the front to fix the front-to-back position. With this, the protective device 10 is ready for use.

[0048] Of course, by reversing this procedure, the protective device 10 can be returned from the used state to the unused state.

[0049] Next, we will explain the effects of the protective device 10 during a collision. At the time of the collision, the knees of the driver's 2 lower limbs are in contact with the protective gear 10, which is deployed in its usable state (or there is only a very small gap between them). Therefore, even if an impactful inertial force acts on the driver's 2 lower limbs at the time of the collision and the driver 2 is about to be thrown forward, the knee pad portion 20 of the protective gear 10 will absorb the force. In other words, the protective gear 10 acts as a knee bolster.

[0050] The impact force received by the knee pad 20 from the driver's knee is transmitted through the backing plate 23 → upper and lower guide rails 64 → cushioning slider 72, causing the cushioning slider 72 to move forward. The cushioning slider 72 then crushes the crushable cushioning material 73. The crushable cushioning material 73 absorbs the impact force and kinetic energy received by the knee pad 20 through deformation and destruction.

[0051] As described above, the protective device 10 of this embodiment can reduce injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision. The protective device 10 is designed to be retrofitted to the driver's seat 4. Therefore, no design changes to the driver's cab are necessary, and crew protection can be achieved at low cost.

[0052] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the first embodiment, and for components that are the same as in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0053] Figure 5 is a side view showing an example configuration of the protective device 10B of the second embodiment, illustrating both the unused state and the used state in a single figure. Figure 6 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of protective equipment 10B, illustrating its usage state.

[0054] The protective device 10B has base arms 100 (100L, 100R) on each side of the driver's seat 4, which are longer than the front-to-back length of the seat. The left and right base arms 100 (100L, 100R) are integrally connected by a connecting shaft 102 that runs from left to right through the connection point where the horizontal bar 4y of the seat and the vertical bar 4t of the backrest of the driver's seat 4 are connected. In other words, the protective device 10B is pivotally supported by the connecting shaft 102 so that it can swing in the vertical direction.

[0055] When not in use, the base arms 100 (100L, 100R) are located on the left and right sides of the vertical slats 4t of the backrest, with the longitudinal direction of the arms facing up and down. The base arms 100 (100L, 100R) are swung forward by the driver 2, and lowered to near the seat surface on the left and right sides of the crossbar 4y of the seat, thus becoming usable.

[0056] Furthermore, appropriate friction is provided between the connecting shaft 102 and the stile of the driver's seat 4 to prevent the protective device 10B from naturally shifting from an unused state to an in-use state due to its own weight. For example, this can be achieved by providing a flange on the connecting shaft 102 and inserting a friction ring or friction plate between the flange and the connecting portion 4j.

[0057] At least one of the base arms 100 (100L, 100R) has a support adjustment mechanism 104 and a knee rest 20B. In the example shown in Figures 5 and 6, the left base arm 100L, which is to the left of the driver 2 seated in the driver's seat 4, has the support adjustment mechanism 104 and the knee rest 20B.

[0058] The support adjustment mechanism 104 has a first arm portion 110 provided at the tip of the left base arm 100L and a second arm portion 120 provided near the middle of the left base arm 100L in the longitudinal direction.

[0059] The first arm portion 110 engages with a slide lock 113 fixed to the left base arm 100L. In other words, the first arm portion 110 is a component equivalent to a guide rail for the slide lock 113. By the driver 2 operating the slide lock 113 (turning the operating knob to loosen / tighten it), the first arm portion 110 can be switched between a state in which it can slide freely in the longitudinal direction of the left base arm 100L and a state in which it is firmly connected so that it cannot slide.

[0060] The first arm portion 110 engages with a slide lock 113 at one end and has a knee rest portion 20B at the other end (the end that becomes the upper end when not in use and the end that becomes the front end when in use).

[0061] As shown in Figure 6, the knee pad portion 20B includes a belt 25 and a reel portion 26 that winds up and stores the belt 25.

[0062] The reel section 26 incorporates a locking mechanism that prevents the belt 25 from being pulled out if it is pulled too quickly. The reel section 26 can be configured, for example, by reference to the retraction mechanism of a car seat belt.

[0063] The reel section 26 is pivotally supported between the first arm section 110 and the support shaft 114, with rotational friction such that it does not rotate under the weight of the knee rest section 20B or by light touch, and does not rotate unless the driver 2 intentionally turns it.

[0064] The belt 25 has a connecting part 27 at the end that is pulled out from the reel section 26 (see Figure 6). The connecting part 27 has a shape that allows it to fit into a plurality of connecting grooves 106 provided on the right base arm 100R.

[0065] The length of the belt 25 is set such that when the connecting part 27 is fitted into either of the connecting grooves 106, it is pulled out almost completely from the reel section 26 and is taut between the left base arm 100L and the right base arm 100R.

[0066] In other words, the knee pad portion 20B is designed such that a belt 25 stretched between the left base arm 100L and the right base arm 100R functions as a knee bolster, and the belt 25 has sufficient strength and width to function as a knee bolster.

[0067] Focusing on the function of the reel section 26, it can be said that the reel section 26 corresponds to the deployment mechanism 90 that deploys the knee pad section 20B.

[0068] The second arm section 120 is pivotally supported at one end so as to be able to swing up and down by a left-right oriented rotating shaft 52 of a ratchet 51 fixed to the left base arm 100L, and a handle 122 is provided protruding laterally from the other end.

[0069] The initial position of the second arm portion 120 is with its other end closest to the left base arm 100L (see [Unused State] in Figure 5). The initial setting for the rotation direction of the ratchet 51 is to allow the other end of the second arm portion 120 (the pivoting end with the handle 122) to pivot away from the left base arm 100L (counterclockwise in the example in Figure 5). A stepped portion 124 is provided protruding from the left crossbar 4yl of the driver's seat 4, intersecting with the pivoting surface of the second arm portion 120 (see Figure 5).

[0070] Next, the use of the protective device 10B will be explained. The operation to change from the unused state to the used state may be performed by the driver 2 who recognizes that a collision is unavoidable during the time before the collision, as in the first embodiment, or the driver 2 may perform the operation before taking the vehicle to keep it in the used state at all times during operation.

[0071] Driver 2, while seated in the driver's seat 4, twists his body backward, extends his arm, grabs one of the base arms 100 (100L, 100R), and lowers it. Since the base arms 100 (100L, 100R) are connected as a single unit by the coupling shaft 102, lowering either one of the base arms 100 (100L, 100R) will lower both.

[0072] When the base arm 100 (100L, 100R) is lowered, the pivoting end of the second arm section 120 (the end on the side with the handle 122) hits the stepped section 124 of the driver's seat 4 and stops.

[0073] Driver 2 loosens the operating knob of the slide lock 113 to allow the first arm section 110 to slide. Then, he adjusts the extended position of the first arm section 110 so that the knee rest section 20B touches his knee, and tightens the operating knob of the slide lock 113 to fix the position. In other words, he adjusts the front-to-back position of the knee rest section 20B.

[0074] In addition, driver 2 adjusts the angle of the knee pad 20B, which is supported by the support shaft 114, so that the width of the belt 25 is facing approximately up and down.

[0075] If adjusting only the extension position of the first arm 110 does not allow the vertical position of the knee rest 20B to be properly adjusted, the handle 122 of the second arm 120 is pushed downward with the left hand while the first arm 110 or the knee rest 20B is lifted with the right hand to make the adjustment. As a result of this lifting operation, the oscillation angle of the second arm 120 relative to the left base arm 100L changes naturally, and this is automatically saved by the ratchet 51.

[0076] In other words, by lowering the base arm 100 to the position in use, it becomes possible to adjust the front-to-back position and the up-and-down position of the knee rest 20B by how far forward the first arm portion 110 is extended and how far downward the second arm portion 120 is swung.

[0077] In other words, the first arm portion 110 primarily supports the knee pad portion 20B so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted when in use, while the second arm portion 120 undulates as its posture relative to the first arm portion 110 changes, primarily supporting the knee pad portion 20B so that its up-to-down position can be adjusted.

[0078] Furthermore, when performing the operation of pushing the handle 122 of the second arm 120 downward with the left hand while lifting the first arm 110 or the knee rest 20B with the right hand, it is possible to correct the lifting if the first arm 110 is lifted too high. That is, by operating the switching lever of the ratchet 51 to reverse the rotation direction of the ratchet 51 and returning the second arm 120 to its initial position, and then returning the switching lever to its original position, the lifting operation can be repeated.

[0079] Once the front-to-back and up-to-down positions of the knee pad 20B have been adjusted, the driver 2 pulls out the belt 25 and inserts the connecting part 27 into one of the connecting grooves 106 so that the belt 25 rests against the front of the knee.

[0080] When a collision occurs, the driver's knees are supported by the belt 25 of the knee pad 20B. This prevents the driver from being thrown forward by the impact's inertial force.

[0081] Therefore, protective device 10B can reduce injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision.

[0082] [Third Embodiment] Next, the third embodiment will be described. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the first and second embodiments, and for components that are the same as in the first and second embodiments, the same reference numerals will be used, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0083] Figure 7 is a side view showing an example configuration of the protective device 10C of the third embodiment, illustrating both the unused state and the used state in a single figure. Figure 8 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of protective equipment 10C, illustrating its usage state.

[0084] The protective device 10C of this embodiment has arm portions 200 (200R, 200L) on both the left and right sides of the driver's seat 4. Of the two arm portions 200 (200R, 200L), the right arm portion 200R, which is on the right side for the driver 2 seated in the driver's seat 4, has one end fixed to one end of the connecting shaft 202 and the other end has a connecting groove 106.

[0085] The connecting shaft 202 is pivotally supported at the front end of the driver's seat 4, passing through the front ends of the left and right crossbars 4y (4yl, 4yr) from left to right. However, appropriate friction is set between the connecting shaft 202 and the crossbars 4y (4yl, 4yr) so that the connecting shaft 202 does not rotate due to the weight of the arm section 200 (200R, 200L) and the knee rest section 20B.

[0086] The other end of the connecting shaft 202 passes through the left crossbar 4yl and protrudes to the left of the driver's seat 4, also serving as the rotating shaft 52 of the ratchet 51 which is fixed to the left side of the left crossbar 4yl (or built into the left crossbar 4yl). The other end of the connecting shaft 202 is further fixed to the slide lock 113 at the tip that passes through the ratchet 51.

[0087] The slide lock 113 is engaged with one end of the left arm portion 200L, which is located to the left of the driver 2 seated in the driver's seat 4, out of the two arm portions 200 (200R, 200L).

[0088] The left arm section 200L corresponds to a slide rail for the slide lock 113, engaging with the slide lock 113 at one end and supporting the knee rest section 20B at the other end with a support shaft 114. In other words, when the left arm section 200L is fixed in position so as not to slide by the slide lock 113, it is integrally connected to the right arm section 200R via the connecting shaft 202 and rotates integrally with the driver's seat 4.

[0089] When not in use, one end of the left and right arm sections 200 (200L, 200R) is positioned behind the connecting shaft 202 and below the seat of the driver's seat 4. When in use, the other end is positioned in front of the connecting shaft 202, specifically diagonally above and in front of the seat of the driver's seat 4.

[0090] Next, the use of the protective device 10C will be explained. The operation to change from the unused state to the used state may be performed by the driver 2 who recognizes that a collision is unavoidable during the time before the collision, as in the first and second embodiments, or the driver 2 may perform the operation before taking the vehicle to keep it in the used state at all times during operation.

[0091] Driver 2, while seated in the driver's seat 4, extends his arm and grasps one of the left or right arm sections 200 (200L, 200R). Then, he swings the arm section (the end with the knee rest 20B) so that it passes under the coupling shaft 202 and lifts it towards the front of the seat in the driver's seat 4. Specifically, Driver 2 lifts the arm section 200 (200L, 200R) so that the knee rest 20B touches his knee.

[0092] Since the arm sections 200 (200L, 200R) are integrated by the connecting shaft 202, swinging either one of them will cause both arm sections 200 (200L, 200R) to swing together. The swing position is automatically saved by the ratchet 51.

[0093] If the arm section 200 (200L, 200R) is lifted too high, the user can operate the switching lever on the ratchet 51 to reverse the rotation direction of the ratchet's rotating shaft 52, make the necessary corrections, and then operate the switching lever again to return the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 52 to its original position.

[0094] In other words, by swinging the arm section 200 (200L, 200R) to the position of use and adjusting how far forward the left arm section 200L is pulled, it becomes possible to adjust the front-to-back position and the up-and-down position of the knee rest section 20B. To put it another way, the arm section 200 (200L, 200R) supports the knee rest section 20B in a front-to-back position that can be adjusted, and by adjusting the angle of the arm section 200, the up-and-down position of the knee rest section 20B relative to the seat surface of the driver's seat 4 can be adjusted.

[0095] Once the front-to-back and up-to-down positions of the knee pad 20B have been adjusted, the driver 2 pulls out the belt 25 and inserts the connecting part 27 into one of the connecting grooves 106 so that the belt 25 rests against the front of the knee.

[0096] According to protective equipment 10C, injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision can be reduced.

[0097] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, the fourth embodiment will be described. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the first to third embodiments, and for components that are the same as those in the first to third embodiments, the same reference numerals will be used and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0098] Figure 9 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the protective device 10D of the fourth embodiment in use. Figure 10 is a side view of the protective device 10D in an unused state, showing an example of its configuration. Figure 11 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the support adjustment mechanism 310 of the protective device 10D. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the protective device 10D in the XII-XII section of Figures 9 and 11. Figure 13 is a rear view of the protective device 10D, seen from the rear (towards the driver's seat 4).

[0099] As shown in Figure 9, the protective device 10D is mounted below the driver's cab 6. The protective device 10D has a knee pad portion 300 and a support adjustment mechanism portion 310 that supports the knee pad portion 300 so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted.

[0100] As shown in Figure 11, the support adjustment mechanism 310 includes left and right guide rails 311 and slider plates 312, a slide rocker 320, left and right buffer sections 330 and telescopic rods 336. The telescopic rods 336 may be replaced with non-extendable rods.

[0101] As shown in Figure 12, the guide rail 311 is a long, bottomed member that defines a space into which the slider plate 312 is slidably inserted, and is fixed to the underside of the driver's cab 6 on both the left and right sides, with its longitudinal direction facing front to back. The guide rail 311 also has rocker insertion holes 311h, which are through holes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0102] As shown in Figure 11, the slider plate 312 has an L-shaped bend at the rear end of a long plate and has multiple engagement notches 313 along the edge of the long side for engaging with the slide rocker 320.

[0103] Figure 14 is a rear view showing an example configuration of the slide rocker 320, illustrating both (1) the locked position and (2) the unlocked position. The slide rocker 320 has a retaining flange 322 and a locking operating handle 323 at one end of the locking shaft portion 321, and a retaining snap ring 324 in a groove at the other end.

[0104] The locking handle 323 has a plate shape with a thickness suitable for gripping with fingers and is integrated with the locking shaft portion 321 at one end. The locking handle 323 is set so that its longitudinal direction faces up and down when the slide rocker 320 is in the locked position, and its longitudinal direction faces forward and backward when it is in the unlocked position.

[0105] The locking shaft portion 321 is a straight rod that is inserted into the rocker insertion hole 311h (see Figure 12) of the guide rail 311, and has a length that penetrates both the left and right guide rails 311.

[0106] The locking shaft portion 321 has notched grooves 325 at positions where it intersects with the space in the guide rail 311 into which the slider plate 312 is inserted when the left and right guide rails 311 are inserted through it.

[0107] The notched groove 325 is a groove that faces forward and backward and opens upward when in the unlocked position. The width of the notched groove 325 is slightly greater than the thickness of the slider plate 312 (thickness in the left-right direction; see Figure 12), and its depth reaches about half the length of the cylindrical cross-section.

[0108] The rocker insertion hole 311h of the guide rail 311 is positioned such that when the locking shaft portion 321 is in the unlocked position, the notched groove 325 can function as a groove through which the lower end of the slide plate 314 is inserted.

[0109] When the locking shaft portion 321 is in the locked position (see Figure 12), the portion without the notch groove 325 faces upward, and this portion fits into the engagement notch 313 of the slide plate 314, preventing the slide plate 314 from moving in the front-rear direction.

[0110] As shown in Figure 11, a buffer portion 330 is attached to the L-shaped rear end (the end on the driver's side) of the slide plate 314.

[0111] The cushioning section 330 includes a case body 332, a case lid 334, a crushable cushioning material 73, a pusher plate 335, and a telescopic rod 336.

[0112] The case body 332 is a long, hollow rectangular parallelepiped component, with a guide slit 333 opening in the front-to-back direction and a rear opening on its lower surface, defining an internal space with a rectangular cross-section. The rear opening is closed by the case lid 334.

[0113] A crushable cushioning material 73 is inserted into the internal space defined by the case body 332 and the case lid 334, and a pusher plate 335 that loosely fits the internal space back and forth is fitted to the front of the cushioning material 73.

[0114] The pusher plate 335 has a rib 335r, which connects it to the telescopic rod 336. The rib 335r loosely fits into the guide slit 333 of the case body 332, providing the effect of guiding the pusher plate 335 so that it can move smoothly in a straight line in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the case body 332.

[0115] As shown in Figure 13, the telescopic rod 336 hangs downward from the cushioning portion 330, and the knee rest portion 300 is stretched between the left and right telescopic rods 336 (336L, 336R).

[0116] The knee pad portion 300 is a wide belt that spans vertically between the left and right telescopic rods 336. The knee pad portion 300 may also be made of a plate.

[0117] Next, the use of the protective device 10D will be explained. The operation to change from the unused state to the used state may be performed by the driver 2 who recognizes that a collision is unavoidable during the time before the collision, as in the first to third embodiments, or the driver 2 may perform the operation before taking the vehicle to keep it in the used state at all times during operation.

[0118] Driver 2 reaches under the driver's cab 6 and turns the downward-facing locking handle 323 toward the driver's seat 4. This allows the slider plate 312 in the support adjustment mechanism 310 to slide relative to the guide rail 311.

[0119] Next, driver 2 grasps the knee rest 300 or the telescopic rod 336 and pulls it toward the driver's seat 4, adjusting its front-to-back position so that the knee rest 300 touches his knee. Then, with the knee rest in this position, he returns the lock operation handle 323 from facing toward the driver's seat 4 to its original downward position to lock the support adjustment mechanism 310.

[0120] Since the engagement notches 313 are provided in stages in the front-to-back direction, when returning the locking operation handle 323 to its original position, the locking shaft portion 321 is fitted into the nearest engagement notch 313 while appropriately shifting the knee rest portion 300 or the telescopic rod 336 back and forth.

[0121] According to protective equipment 10D, injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision can be reduced.

[0122] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, the fifth embodiment will be described. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the first to fourth embodiments, and the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as those in the first to fourth embodiments, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0123] Figure 15 is a side view of the unused state showing an example configuration of the protective device 10E of the fifth embodiment. Figure 16 is a rear view of the protective device 10E, seen from the rear (towards the driver's seat 4). The protective device 10E further includes a body contact portion 350 in addition to the components of the protective device 10D.

[0124] The torso contact portion 350 includes, for example, support arms 352 (352a, 352b) extending toward the driver's seat 4 from the rear ends of the case lids 334 (see Figure 11) of the left and right cushioning portions 330, and a torso support belt 354 stretched between the left and right support arms 352 (352a, 352b).

[0125] Since the fuselage contact portion 350 is connected to the slider plate 312 (see Figure 11) via the cushioning portion 330, the support adjustment mechanism 310 in this configuration supports the fuselage contact portion 350 in a way that allows for adjustment of its front-to-back position.

[0126] Figure 17 is a side view of the protective device 10E in use. When the knee pad portion 300 of the protective device 10E is pulled out and fixed to a position where it contacts or is just in front of the driver's knee, the torso contact portion 350 moves to the front of the driver's torso, specifically to the front of the waist.

[0127] Even if a shocking inertial force acts on the driver 2 during a collision, causing him to be thrown forward, the protective device 10E acts as a knee bolster, with the knee rest 300 supporting the driver 2's lower limbs. In addition, the torso contact portion 350 prevents the driver 2's torso from lifting or moving forward by contacting the driver 2's thighs and waist.

[0128] This makes it possible for the protective device 10E to more effectively reduce injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision.

[0129] [Variation] Although several examples of embodiments to which the present invention is applied have been described, the forms to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to those described above, and components can be added, omitted, or modified as appropriate.

[0130] Furthermore, the support structure for the driver's seat 4 to which the protective device 10 (10, 10B, 10C) can be attached is not limited to a structure supported by pillars erected on the floor of the driver's seat, as in the above embodiment. For example, a cantilever structure extending forward from the rear wall of the driver's cab may be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0131] 2… Driver 4… Driver's seat 6…Driver's cab 10… Protective equipment 20... Knee pad area 40...Support adjustment mechanism section 50…Front and rear adjustment section 60...Vertical adjustment section 70...Buffer section 90...Deployment mechanism 110...First arm section 120...Second arm section 200... Arm section 350...Body contact part

Claims

1. A protective device designed to reduce injuries to the driver seated in the driver's seat during a train collision, The knee pad area, A support adjustment mechanism that supports the knee rest so that the driver can manually adjust the contact position of the knee rest, Protective equipment equipped with these features.

2. The support adjustment mechanism includes a front-to-back adjustment unit for adjusting the front-to-back position of the knee pad. The protective device according to claim 1.

3. The support adjustment mechanism includes an upper and lower adjustment unit for adjusting the vertical position of the knee pad. The protective device according to claim 1.

4. The support adjustment mechanism is attached to the driver's seat. The support adjustment mechanism has a deployment mechanism for deploying the knee pad from an unused state to an usable state and folding it back from the usable state to an unused state. A protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The support adjustment mechanism is attached to the lower part of the driver's seat, The aforementioned deployment mechanism is a mechanism that pulls the knee rest forward from the lower part of the seat to deploy it from the unused state to the used state. The protective device according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned support adjustment mechanism is In the aforementioned usage state, a first arm portion supports the knee pad portion so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted, A second arm portion that undulates as its posture changes relative to the first arm portion, and supports the knee pad portion so that its vertical position can be adjusted, Having, The protective device according to claim 4.

7. The aforementioned support adjustment mechanism is In the aforementioned usage state, the knee rest portion is supported so as to be adjustable in the front-to-back position, and one end of the arm portion is pivotally supported on the driver's seat so as to be able to swing up and down. The knee rest portion has the ability to be adjusted vertically by adjusting the angle of the arm portion relative to the seat surface of the driver's seat. The protective device according to claim 4.

8. The aforementioned support adjustment mechanism is mounted on the driver's cab. A protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The support adjustment mechanism has a cushioning portion that cushions the impact force applied to the knee rest portion based on the forward inertia of the driver during a train collision. The protective device according to claim 8.

10. fuselage contact part, Furthermore, The support adjustment mechanism supports the fuselage contact portion so that its front-to-back position can be adjusted. The protective device according to claim 1.

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