Vehicle occupant restraint device

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant restraint device for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] A vehicle occupant restraint system that deploys the lower end of a front side airbag (center airbag) between the occupant's waist and the console box to suppress the occupant's inward movement in the vehicle width direction has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when the lower end of the inflated and deployed center airbag does not sufficiently overlap with the console box in a side view, in other words, in the case of a small-sized occupant, etc., when the vehicle seat takes a front position where the front end surface at the side portion of the seat back is located on the front side of the front surface of the console box, when restraining the occupant with the inflated and deployed center airbag, it is difficult for the center airbag to obtain a sufficient reaction force from the console box.

[0005] Therefore, occupants who move inward in the vehicle width direction due to the inertial force of a side collision may, in a plan view, rotate (fall) inward along with the center airbag, centered around the point where the center airbag inflator is connected. In other words, it may become difficult to effectively restrain the occupant with the inflated and deployed center airbag. Thus, there is still room for improvement in a configuration that allows the inflated and deployed center airbag to effectively restrain the occupant regardless of the fore-aft position of the vehicle seat (even when the vehicle seat is in the forward position).

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle occupant restraint device that can effectively restrain an occupant with an inflated and deployed center airbag, regardless of the front-to-rear position of the vehicle seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the vehicle occupant restraint device according to claim 1 of the present invention includes an inflator provided on a vehicle seat that ejects gas when activated, a main chamber provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the seat back of the vehicle seat, which expands and unfolds toward the inward direction in the vehicle width direction of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat when the gas is supplied inside, and provided in the main chamber, Approximately “L” shaped in plan view A center airbag having a sub-chamber that inflates and deploys is provided. The sub-chamber is provided inside the main chamber and has a front-to-rear extending portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and a width-extending portion that is continuous with the rear end of the front-to-rear extending portion and protrudes from the main chamber, and extends inward in the seat width direction to approximately half the length of the seat back in the seat width direction, wherein the width-extending portion is in contact with the rear surface of the seat back. .

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

[0009] In this case, for example, if the occupant seated in the vehicle seat is small in stature, the vehicle seat may be positioned in a forward position where, in a side view, the front end surface of the side of the seat back is located further forward than the front of the console box. In this case, the inflated and deployed center airbag will have difficulty obtaining a reaction force from the console box.

[0010] However, the center airbag has a sub-chamber located within the main chamber, and this sub-chamber inflates and deploys to contact the rear surface of the seatback. Therefore, even if the inertial force from a side collision causes the occupant to move inward in the width direction of the vehicle, and the main chamber of the center airbag is pressed inward in the width direction, the main chamber can receive a reaction force from the seatback via the sub-chamber.

[0011] In other words, the main chamber of the center airbag, when viewed from above, is prevented from rotating (tilting) inward in the vehicle width direction around the point where the inflator is connected by the sub-chamber. Therefore, the occupant is effectively restrained by the inflated and deployed center airbag (at least the main chamber) regardless of the fore-aft position of the vehicle seat. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, the occupant can be effectively restrained by the inflated and deployed center airbag regardless of the front-to-rear position of the vehicle seat. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing the inflated and deployed state of the center airbag according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view showing the inflated and deployed state of the center airbag according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] (A) A schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in Figure 2. (B) A schematic side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the center airbag according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. For the sake of explanation, in each figure, the arrow UP will indicate the upward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, the arrow FR will indicate the forward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat, and the arrow RH will indicate the rightward direction of the vehicle and the vehicle seat. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up and down, front and back, and left and right are mentioned without further specification, they refer to the up and down, front and back, and left and right directions of the vehicle and the vehicle seat. Also, the left and right directions are synonymous with the vehicle width direction and the seat width direction.

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

[0016] "Occupant P" refers, for example, to a small occupant corresponding to AF05 (5th percentile of adult American women) in the WorldSID (World Side Impact Dummy). Furthermore, the vehicle seat 12 is, for example, a right-side front seat configured to move in the forward and backward directions by a known electric mechanism, and a vehicle equipped with this vehicle seat 12 in its passenger compartment is, for example, a right-hand drive vehicle. In other words, this vehicle seat 12 is the driver's seat.

[0017] A console box (not shown) is provided on the floor of the passenger compartment (not shown) in the vehicle width direction, inward from the vehicle seat 12 (center in the vehicle width direction). In plan view, the console box is a rectangular hollow box with the front-to-rear direction as its longitudinal direction, and its top is open and can be opened and closed by a lid.

[0018] In a side view, the front end surface 16A (see FIG. 2) located at the foremost side in the side portion (side support portion) of the seat back 16 is set as the foremost side position (front most) of the vehicle seat 12 that is located on the front side of the flat front wall of the console box. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the vehicle seat 12 takes the foremost side position in the case of a small-sized occupant P.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, on the left side portion (hereinafter referred to as the "left side portion"), which is the side portion inside the vehicle width direction of the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 12, a center airbag device 20 that expands toward the inside in the vehicle width direction of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12 is provided. The center airbag device 20 includes an inflater 22 embedded in the left side portion of the seat back 16, and a center airbag 24 into which the gas ejected from the inflater 22 is supplied through a rectifying cloth 23.

[0020] The inflater 22 is a cylinder-type gas generator formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and its axial direction is along the direction (substantially vertical direction) of side frames (not shown) that form the skeletons of the left and right side portions of the seat back 16. The inflater 22 operates when a side collision of the vehicle is detected or predicted (hereinafter referred to as "during a side collision"), and can instantaneously supply gas into the center airbag 24 through the rectifying cloth 23.

[0021] The center airbag 24 expands and deploys when the gas ejected from the inflater 22 is supplied into it through the rectifying cloth 23. In a side view, it has a main chamber 26 that covers at least from the buttocks to the head of the occupant P seated on the vehicle seat 12, and a sub-chamber 28 that expands and deploys in a substantially "L" shape in a plan view so that a part (rear part) of it contacts the rear surface of the seat back 16 from slightly below the substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the main chamber 26.

[0022] In a side view, the main chamber 26 is formed with its upper wall bulging upward in a roughly arc shape, and is sized to restrain at least the left side of the occupant P, which is the inner side in the vehicle width direction, of the buttocks, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and head. The main chamber 26 is formed into a single bag shape by sewing the outer edges of two base fabrics together.

[0023] The rectifying cloth 23 is installed inside the main chamber 26 and is designed to distribute the gas ejected from the inflator 22 upwards and downwards. Specifically, the front part of the rectifying cloth 23 is oriented axially in the vertical direction and is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with its upper end closed. At least the nozzle side of the inflator 22 is inserted into the front part of the rectifying cloth from below.

[0024] The rear end of the rectifying cloth 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axial direction approximately vertical, and has an upper opening 23A and a lower opening 23B. Therefore, the rectifying cloth 23 is able to blow the gas ejected from the inflator 22 upward and downward within the main chamber 26 (see Figure 3(B)). The lower opening 23B of the rectifying cloth 23 is connected to the sub-chamber 28, and the gas ejected from the lower opening 23B is supplied into the sub-chamber 28.

[0025] The sub-chamber 28 is formed in a substantially circular shape when viewed in cross-section along the vertical direction, and a front-to-back extending portion 28A is provided inside the main chamber 26. A substantially circular vent hole 28H is formed in the upper front wall of this front-to-back extending portion 28A when viewed in plan, and the gas supplied into the sub-chamber 28 from the lower opening 23B of the rectifying cloth 23 is supplied into the main chamber 26 through this vent hole 28H (see Figure 3(B)). Therefore, the sub-chamber 28 completes its expansion and deployment slightly faster than the main chamber 26 (shape rigidity is ensured).

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

[0027] The operation of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, will now be explained.

[0028] During a side collision with the vehicle, the inflator 22 activates, and the gas ejected from the inflator 22 is instantly supplied to the inside of the center airbag 24 (main chamber 26 and sub-chamber 28) via the rectifying cloth 23. As a result of the supply of gas, the internal pressure (inflation pressure) of the center airbag 24 begins to inflate, causing the surface of the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 12 to rupture from the lower to the upper left side.

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

[0030] Here, for example, if the occupant P seated in the vehicle seat 12 is a small occupant, the vehicle seat 12 will be in its furthest forward position. Therefore, when the occupant is restrained by the main chamber 26 of the inflated and deployed center airbag 24, the main chamber 26 will have difficulty obtaining sufficient reaction force from the console box.

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

[0032] To explain in more detail, during a side collision, inertial force causes the occupant P to move inward in the vehicle width direction, pressing the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 inward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 attempts to rotate inward in the vehicle width direction around the point where the inflator 22 is connected (the front side of the rectifying cloth 23) in a plan view.

[0033] However, when the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 is pressed inward in the vehicle width direction, the width-extended portion 28B of the sub-chamber 28 of the center airbag 24 presses the rear surface 16B of the seat back 16 forward (acting as a rotation stopper), so the main chamber 26 can effectively obtain a reaction force from the seat back 16 via the sub-chamber 28. Therefore, in a plan view, the rotation (tilting) of the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 inward in the vehicle width direction around the part to which the inflator 22 is connected is suppressed.

[0034] Furthermore, in a side view, even if the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 attempts to rotate rearward around the point where the inflator 22 is connected, the extended portion 28B of the sub-chamber 28 similarly presses the rear surface 16B of the seatback 16 forward (acting as a rotation stopper). As a result, the main chamber 26 can effectively obtain a reaction force from the seatback 16 via the sub-chamber 28. Therefore, in a side view, the main chamber 26 of the center airbag 24 is also prevented from rotating rearward around the point where the inflator 22 is connected.

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

[0036] The vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to this embodiment has been described above based on the drawings. However, the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to the illustrated version, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the vehicle to which this embodiment is applied may be a vehicle that does not have a console box in the passenger compartment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10. Vehicle occupant restraint devices 12 Vehicle seats 16 Seatback 22 Inflators 24 Center Airbag 26 Main Chamber 28 Subchamber P Crew

Claims

[Claim 1] An inflator installed in the vehicle seat that releases gas when activated, A center airbag comprising: a main chamber provided on the inner side of the seat back of the vehicle seat in the vehicle width direction, which inflates and deploys toward the inward direction of the vehicle width direction of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat when the gas is supplied inside; and a sub-chamber provided in the main chamber, which inflates and deploys in a substantially "L" shape in plan view; Equipped with, The aforementioned sub-chamber is A front-to-back extending portion is provided inside the main chamber and extends in the front-to-back direction, A width-extending portion that is continuous with the rear end of the aforementioned front and rear-extending portion and protrudes from the main chamber, and extends inward in the seat width direction to approximately half the length of the seat back in the seat width direction, It has, A vehicle occupant restraint device in which the extended portion is in contact with the rear surface of the seat back.

Images