Occupant protection devices and airbag covers

Abstract

To provide an occupant protection device which may restrict entry of foreign objects into a cover part even when having a structure which covers only a periphery of a folded airbag.SOLUTION: An occupant protection device is mounted on a seat 1 of a vehicle and includes an airbag 25 which is attached to a belt body 8 at a seat belt 7 in a folded state and may cause an expansion gas discharged from an inflator 17 to flow thereinto to expand so as to protect an occupant seated on the seat while protruding forward. An airbag cover 45 which covers a periphery of a folding completed body 75 which is a folded airbag is formed in an elongated form which may cover the outer periphery side of a part of the belt body with the folding completed body and both longitudinal ends are closed in a manner that at least a belt body may be inserted thereinto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device mounted on a vehicle seat and an airbag cover.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an occupant protection device disposed on a seat, there has been a configuration in which an airbag is attached to a belt body of a seat belt. When an inflator operates, inflation gas discharged from the inflator flows into the inside, and an airbag that inflates so as to protrude forward protects an occupant sitting on the seat (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, in a conventional occupant protection device, the airbag is disposed in a region of a lap belt that restrains the occupant's waist when worn in the belt body. More specifically, the airbag is folded in a long shape substantially along the lap belt and is covered with an airbag cover around it.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In this conventional occupant protection device, the airbag cover is arranged to cover the entire lap belt together with the folded airbag (completed folded body). Therefore, the entire region of the lap belt bulges, and the wearing comfort is not good. From the viewpoint of mounting compactly and also having good wearing comfort of the seat belt, it is desirable to cover only the folded airbag (completed folded body) and a part of the belt body with the airbag cover. However, when such a configuration is adopted, it is desired to restrict the entry of foreign matter into the airbag cover.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an occupant protection device that can restrict the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover, even if it is configured to cover only the periphery of the folded airbag. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The occupant protection device according to the present invention is mounted on the seat of a vehicle, Seat belts and, Inflator and An airbag that, in a folded state, is attached to the belt body of the seat belt, and when the inflator is activated, allows the inflation gas discharged from the inflator to flow into the interior, causing it to protrude forward and inflate to protect the occupant seated in the seat, An airbag cover that surrounds the folded body when the airbag is folded, In an occupant protection device having the following configuration: The airbag cover is characterized by being elongated in a way that allows it to cover the outer circumference of a portion of the belt body together with the folded body, and by being closed at both ends in the longitudinal direction so that at least the belt body can be inserted through it.

[0007] In the occupant protection device of the present invention, the airbag cover that surrounds the folded body formed by folding the airbag is configured to cover the outer circumference of a portion of the belt body, but both ends in the longitudinal direction are closed so that at least the belt body can be inserted through it. Therefore, the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover can be effectively restricted when wearing the device.

[0008] Therefore, even if the occupant protection device of the present invention is configured to cover only the area around the folded airbag, it is possible to restrict the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover.

[0009] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the present invention, since the airbag cover covers only the outer periphery of the folded body and a part of the belt body, it can be made more compact compared to conventional occupant protection devices, and the seat belt (belt body) is also easier to attach to the occupant.

[0010] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device of the present invention, the airbag is configured to include a bag body that inflates to protect the occupant, and a conduit section connected to an inflator that allows inflation gas to flow into the bag body. The airbag cover is configured to have an insertion opening at least on the end side facing the conduit, into which the folded body formed by folding the bag can be inserted. The insertion opening comprises an opening body for inserting the folded body, and a diameter-reducing member arranged around the opening body to reduce the diameter of the opening body after the folded body has been inserted into the airbag cover. It is preferable that the diameter-reducing member be configured to maintain the reduced diameter state of the opening body with the conduit portion protruding when the diameter is reduced.

[0011] With this configuration, the occupant protection device can be used to reduce the diameter of the opening body after inserting the folded body into the airbag cover through the opening body of the insertion opening, and the reduced diameter state of the opening body can be maintained with the conduit protruding. Therefore, the process of storing the folded body inside the airbag cover can be simplified. Furthermore, because the reduced diameter state of the opening body can be maintained, the opening body can be effectively prevented from opening (releasing the reduced diameter state) after the folded body has been stored, and the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover when fastening a seat belt, etc., can be effectively restricted.

[0012] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device having the above-described configuration, if the diameter-reducing member is configured to include a belt-like body that can be wound around the periphery of the opening main body, and the fixing member is configured to be able to maintain the wound state of the belt-like body around the opening main body, the belt-like body is wound around the periphery of the opening main body to reduce the diameter of the opening main body, and this diameter-reduced state is maintained using the fixing member. Thus, the diameter-reduced state of the peripheral edge of the opening main body can be maintained while being pressed by the belt-like body, and even when the conduit portion is inserted, the diameter-reduced state of the opening main body can be stably maintained, which is preferable.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a seat equipped with an occupant protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side view of the seat of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a front view of the seat of FIG. 1, showing a state where a seat belt is worn. [Figure 4] It is a side view of the seat of FIG. 1, showing a state where a seat belt is worn. [Figure 5] It is a schematic perspective view showing a state where an airbag used in the occupant protection device of the embodiment is inflated alone. [Figure 6] It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the airbag of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a plan view showing a state where an airbag cover used in the occupant protection device of the embodiment is flattened and deployed. [Figure 8] It is a bottom view of the airbag cover of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a schematic sectional view of the IX-IX part of FIG. 7. [Figure 10] It is a schematic sectional view of the X-X part of FIG. 7. [Figure 11] It is a schematic sectional view of the XI-XI part of FIG. 7. [Figure 12] It is a schematic sectional view of the XII-XII part of FIG. 8. [Figure 13]It is a schematic perspective view showing a region on the left end side which is the side of the insertion opening in the airbag cover. [Figure 14] It is a schematic perspective view showing a region on the right end side in the airbag cover. [Figure 15] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the occupant protection device of the embodiment is mounted. [Figure 16] In the occupant protection device of the embodiment, it is a front view of the seat in a state where the airbag has completed inflation. [Figure 17] In the occupant protection device of the embodiment, it is a side view of the seat in a state where the airbag has completed inflation. [Figure 18] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an airbag cover which is another embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The occupant protection device S of the embodiment is mounted on the vehicle seat 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, and includes a seat belt 7, an airbag 25, an inflater 17 that supplies inflation gas to the airbag 25, and an airbag cover 45 that covers the periphery of the folded complete body 75 in a state where the airbag 25 is folded. In the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the airbag 25 is disposed in a region of the lap belt 10 in a belt main body 8 of the seat belt 7 described later. The seat 1 includes a backrest portion 2 and a seat portion 3. In the embodiment, the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions will be described in accordance with the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions with respect to the occupant MP sitting on the seat 1 unless otherwise specified.

[0015] In this embodiment, the seat belt 7 is mounted on the seat 1 and, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a belt body 8 for restraining the occupant MP seated on the seat 1, a tongue plate 12 attached to the belt body 8, and a buckle 13 for connecting the tongue plate 12. In this embodiment, the buckle 13 is positioned on the rear right end of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 (to the right of the boundary between the backrest portion 2 and the seat portion 3) (see Figures 1, 2, and 4). One end of the belt body 8 is secured to the winding shaft of a retractor (not shown) located inside the backrest portion 2, and the other end (end 8a side) is secured to the rear left end 3a side of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 by an anchor member 14 (see Figures 1, 2, and 4), so that it can be extended from the retractor when worn. In detail, the belt body 8 is positioned so as to be exposed to the outside from the upper left edge side of the backrest 2. In this embodiment, when the occupant MP is not seated, the lap belt 10 for positioning the airbag 25 is exposed on the front of the backrest 2, as shown in Figure 1. In detail, when the occupant MP is not seated, the lap belt 10 is exposed on the front of the backrest 2, as shown in Figure 1, on the left edge 2a side of the backrest 2, substantially following the vertical direction. The seat belt body 8 has a lap belt 10 and a shoulder belt 9 stored inside the backrest 2. When the occupant is seated, with the tongue plate 12 fastened to the buckle 13, the lap belt 10, which is positioned to be roughly aligned in the left-right direction between the anchor member 14 and the buckle 13, restrains the occupant MP's lower body MD (waist), and the shoulder belt 9, which extends from the upper left edge of the backrest 2 and is positioned diagonally towards the buckle 13, restrains the occupant MP's upper body MU (shoulders to chest) (see Figures 3 and 4). In the seat belt 7, a retractor (not shown) located inside the backrest 2 has a pretensioner mechanism.

[0016] In this embodiment, the inflator 17 is attached to the seat 1, specifically positioned near the lower end of the seat portion 3 on the back side of the seat 1. The inflator 17 comprises a substantially cylindrical inflator body 18 (detailed illustration omitted) positioned with its axial direction roughly aligned with the left-right direction, and a pipe portion 19 extending from the inflator body 18 to supply inflation gas to the airbag 25 (see Figure 2). The inflator body 18 is attached to the seat frame 4 using a predetermined bracket, although detailed illustration omitted. The pipe portion 19 extends from the inflator body 18, with its tip positioned near the boundary between the seat portion 3 and the backrest portion 2 on the left side of the seat 1. This tip is connected to a conduit portion 35 in the airbag 25, which will be described later, using a clamp 20 (see Figures 1, 2, and 4). In this embodiment, the inflator body 18 is set to start operating later than the pretensioner mechanism of the seat belt 7 in order to restrict the extension of the seat belt body 8 of the seat belt 7 as the airbag 25 inflates.

[0017] As described above, the airbag 25 is positioned in the area of ​​the lap belt 10 that restrains the lower body MD (waist) of the occupant MP seated in the seat 1, and is a bag-shaped structure made of a flexible seat material. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the airbag 25 includes a bag body 26 that inflates to protect the occupant MP while wearing the seat belt 7, a conduit section 35 connected to the inflator 17 for introducing inflation gas into the bag body 26, and a belt loop section 40 through which the lap belt 10 can be inserted. The airbag 25 (bag body 26, conduit section 35, and belt loop section 40) is formed from a flexible woven fabric made of polyester yarn, polyamide yarn, etc.

[0018] The bag body 26 is configured such that when fully inflated, its external shape is roughly a triangular prism shape with the axial direction roughly aligned with the left-right direction. When viewed from the left and right sides, the fully inflated shape is roughly a right triangle with a hypotenuse on the front side, and when viewed from the front-rear direction, the fully inflated shape is roughly a rectangle with a wide top and bottom (see Figures 16 and 17). As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the bag body 26 includes a rear wall portion 28 positioned on the crew MP side (rear side) when fully inflated, a front wall portion 27 positioned opposite the rear wall portion 28 in the front-rear direction, a lower wall portion 29 positioned at the lower end when fully inflated, and a left wall portion 30 and a right wall portion 31 positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction when fully inflated. The bag body 26 is configured to receive the upper body MU of the occupant MP with its rear wall 28 when inflation is complete. Furthermore, when the upper body MU is received by the rear wall 28, the lower wall 29 is brought into contact with the thigh MT of the occupant MP, supporting the occupant MP on the thigh MT, thereby supporting the occupant MP (see Figure 17). The bag body 26 is configured to have a conduit 35 connected to the underside of the rear end 29a of the lower wall 29, through which the inflation gas from the inflator 17 flows into the interior. In the region of the lower wall 29 on the rear end 29a side, there are circular openings, two of which are arranged side by side on the left and right sides in this embodiment, and these are in communication with the conduit 35 (see Figures 5 and 6). The bag body 26 is connected to the conduit 35 at the periphery of these communication holes 33.

[0019] The conduit section 35 is arranged to extend to the left from the lower side of the bag body 26 in this embodiment and is connected to the inflator 17 (specifically, the pipe section 19 of the inflator 17). The base end (right end) on the bag body 26 side is closed, and the tip 37a side (left end) is open to connect to the pipe section 19. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the conduit section 35 comprises a wide body-side portion 36 located on the lower side of the bag body 26 and a connecting portion 37 that extends to the left from the bag body 26 when inflation is complete. The connecting portion 37 is formed to be narrower than the body-side portion 36. This conduit section 35 is arranged substantially along the left-right direction, substantially along the lap belt 10, when the airbag 25 is fully inflated (see Figures 16 and 17). The tip 37a (left end) of the connecting portion 37 is connected to the pipe portion 19 of the inflator 17 using the clamp 20, as described above (see Figures 2 and 4).

[0020] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the belt loop portion 40 is positioned on the lower side of the main body portion 36 of the conduit portion 35 (i.e., the area below the bag body 26), and is arranged in a substantially cylindrical shape that substantially follows the lap belt 10 in the left-right direction, and is configured so that the lap belt 10 can be inserted through it. In detail, in the embodiment, the belt loop portion 40 is configured so that the belt body 8, with the anchor member 14 connected to the end 8a side, can be inserted together with the anchor member 14. By inserting the lap belt 10 through this belt loop portion 40, the bag body 26 is held by the lap belt 10.

[0021] In this embodiment, the airbag 25 is configured such that the area of ​​the bag body 26 is folded into an elongated shape that substantially follows the lap belt 10, and in the state of the folded body 75 formed by folding the bag body 26, it is held on the lap belt 10 so as to be slidable relative to the lap belt 10. Specifically, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the airbag 25 (bag body 26) is folded so as to reduce the width dimension in the front-rear direction, from a bag body 26 that is laid out substantially flat by overlapping the front wall portion 27 with the rear wall portion 28 and the bottom wall portion 29, thereby forming an elongated folded body 75 that substantially follows the left-right direction. The folded body 75 formed by folding the bag body 26 in this way is positioned so as to overlap with the upper side when the lap belt 10 is attached, together with the body side portion 36 of the conduit portion 35, by inserting the lap belt 10 through the belt loop portion 40. The folded body 75 is positioned in the area of ​​the lap belt 10, with its periphery, including the belt loop portion 40 and the lap belt 10, covered by the airbag cover 45 (see Figures 3 and 15). In this embodiment, when the seat belt 7 is not installed, as shown in Figure 1, the folded body 75 is positioned on the rear side (backrest portion 2 side) of the lap belt 10, which is exposed on the front of the backrest portion 2. Also, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 37 of the conduit portion 35 is positioned to the left of the folded body 75 (airbag cover 45) and exposed on the upper side of the lap belt 10 when the seat belt 7 is installed (see Figures 3 and 4).

[0022] The airbag cover 45 surrounding the airbag 25 is made of a flexible sheet material, and is made of a sheet material such as synthetic leather or fabric (in this embodiment, a sheet material made of synthetic leather).

[0023] Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 15, the airbag cover 45 is configured to cover substantially the entire outer circumference of the folded body 75 formed by folding the bag body 26 and the body-side portion 36 of the conduit portion 35, including the belt loop portion 40 and a part of the lap belt 10 positioned on the lower side of the body-side portion 36. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the airbag cover 45 has an elongated shape with its longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the lap belt 10 (left-right direction in the installed state), and in the installed state, it includes a front side wall portion 46 that covers the upper side of the folded body 75 and a back side wall portion 49 positioned on the lower side of the lap belt 10. In the airbag cover 45 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a design portion 47 made of a different base material from the back side wall portion 49 and the remaining portion of the front side wall portion 46 is formed on the central part in the width direction of the front side wall portion 46, and is continuously formed along the entire length of the airbag cover 45, substantially along the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, detailed illustration is omitted, but the design portion 47 is made of a base material with a different color tone from the back side wall portion 49 and the remaining portion of the front side wall portion 46.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 to 11, the airbag cover 45 comprises a substantially cylindrical main body portion 52 and an insertion opening 60 disposed on the left end 45a side, which is one end of the main body portion 52 (in this embodiment, the conduit portion 35 side, specifically the connection side portion 37 of the conduit portion 35). In addition, the airbag cover 45 has lap belt insertion portions 67 and 71 on both ends in the longitudinal direction, the left end 45a side and the right end 45b side, respectively, through which the lap belt 10 (belt body 8) can be inserted (see Figures 8, 12 to 14). The right end 45b side of the airbag cover 45, which is the side separated from the conduit portion 35 (connection side portion 37), is closed except for the lap belt insertion portion 71. The airbag cover 45 is configured such that, when unfolded flat with the opening body 61 (described later) in the insertion opening 60 open, its width is approximately constant across its entire length (see Figures 7 and 8).

[0025] The main body portion 52 houses the folded body 75 (specifically, the folded body 75, the main body side portion 36 of the conduit portion 35, the belt loop portion 40, and a part of the wrap belt 10 arranged on the lower side of the main body side portion 36). In the upper area of ​​the main body portion 52 when attached, that is, the area of ​​the front side wall portion 46, a breakable portion 55 that can be ruptured when the airbag 25 inflates is formed. In this embodiment, the design portion 47 arranged on the front side wall portion 46 is configured to be divided into two parts approximately in the front-to-back center (center in the width direction) when attached, as shown in Figures 7, 9, and 10. The edges of these divided base materials are sewn together by a suture portion 54 that is formed to be approximately along the left-to-right direction (longitudinal direction). The suture portion 54, including the insertion opening 60, is arranged continuously along the entire length of the left and right sides of the airbag cover 45 and is formed using suture thread T that can be ruptured when the bag body 26 inflates. In other words, this sutured area 54 (suture thread T) constitutes the area 55 that is to be ruptured. The airbag cover 45 is configured to cause the bag body 26 to protrude by rupturing the suture thread T that constitutes this sutured area 54 when the airbag 25 (bag body 26) inflates. The inner diameter dimension (width dimension when laid flat) of the main body 52 (airbag cover 45) is set to a size that allows the folded body 75, the main body side portion 36 of the conduit portion 35, the belt loop portion 40, and the wrap belt 10 to be inserted without any problems.

[0026] As shown in Figures 7, 10, and 11, the insertion opening 60 comprises an opening body 61 for inserting the folded body 75, and a diameter-reducing member 62 positioned around the opening body 61 that can reduce the diameter of the opening body 61. In this embodiment, the opening body 61 is configured to open on the left edge 52a side of the main body 52, that is, the opening diameter is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter dimension of the main body 52 (the width dimension of the main body 52 when laid flat), so that the folded body 75 (specifically, the folded body 75, the main body side portion 36 of the conduit portion 35, the belt loop portion 40, and the wrap belt 10) can be inserted without hindrance. The diameter-reducing member 62 comprises a strip-shaped body that can be wrapped around the opening body 61. Specifically, the diameter-reducing member 62 is configured to include two strips 63F, 63 that extend to both the front and rear sides when the airbag cover 45 is laid flat (see Figures 7, 8, and 10).

[0027] Each strip 63F, 63B is configured such that its base portion 63a is sewn (connected) to the front and rear edges of the design portion 47 on the front wall portion 46. In other words, each strip 63F, 63B is connected to the airbag cover 45 (main body portion 52) at a position that is inward from the front and rear edges 45c and rear edges 45d of the airbag cover 45 when it is laid flat (see Figures 7 and 10). Furthermore, each strip 63F, 63B is positioned so that its edge approximately coincides with the edge of the opening body 61. In this embodiment, the width dimension W1 of each strip 63F, 63B is set to approximately half the width dimension W2 of the airbag cover 45 (main body portion 52) when it is laid flat (see Figure 7).

[0028] In the embodiment of the airbag cover 45, the folded body 75 is inserted into the main body 52, and the connecting portion 37 of the conduit 35 is inserted into the opening body 61. The two strips 63F and 63B are then wrapped around the opening body 61 so that their tips 63b and 63b overlap each other. The overlapping strips 63F and 63B are then connected to each other using fixing members 65 such as rivets, thereby maintaining the state in which the strips 63F and 63B are wrapped around the opening body 61 (see Figure 13). In the embodiment, the strips 63F and 63B are wrapped around the opening body 61 so that their tips 63b overlap each other on the back wall portion 49 side (see Figure 13). The length dimensions of the strips 63F and 63B are set so that at least their tips 63b and 63b overlap each other when wrapped around the opening body 61. At this time, the peripheral portion of the opening body 61 and the connecting portion 37 are partially folded and reduced in diameter, as shown in Figure 13, and the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 and the connecting portion 37 is maintained by maintaining the wrapping of these strips 63F and 63B around the opening body 61. In this embodiment, the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 means that only the reduced diameter connecting portion 37 can be inserted, and foreign objects such as writing instruments cannot be inserted (a state in which there is no gap into which foreign objects can be inserted). Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 is maintained by the fixing member 65, the entry of foreign objects into the main body portion 52 can be stably restricted.

[0029] The lap belt insertion portion 67, formed on the left end 45a side of the airbag cover 45, that is, on the insertion opening 60 side, is formed near the left end of the main body portion 52, in an area that is more towards the center left and right than the strips 63F and 63B. Specifically, as shown in Figures 8 and 13, the lap belt insertion portion 67 is constructed by forming a straight cut (slit) in the back wall portion 49 that is substantially aligned in the front-rear direction. The length dimension (opening width dimension) of this lap belt insertion portion 67 is set to be smaller than the width dimension in the front-rear direction of the airbag cover 45 when it is laid flat, and slightly larger than the width dimension of the lap belt 10 (belt body 8). In detail, the length dimension (opening width dimension) of the lap belt insertion portion 67 is set to a dimension that allows the lap belt 10 (belt body 8) with the anchor member 14 attached to be inserted together with the anchor member 14.

[0030] In the area on the right end 45b side of the airbag cover 45, a lid portion 69 made of a separate base material from the back wall portion 49 and the front wall portion 46 is provided so as to cover the inner circumference of the portion on the right edge 49a side of the back wall portion 49. This lid portion 69 is sewn (joined) to the right edge 69a of the front wall portion 46a over substantially the entire front and rear area (see Figures 12 and 14). This lid portion 69 is provided so as to overlap with the back wall portion 49, but it is not joined to the back wall portion 49. In other words, in the airbag cover 45 of this embodiment, the right edge 49a side of the back wall portion 49 is not joined to the right edge 46a of the front wall portion 46, and is configured to have a gap (opening) between it and the lid portion 69. In the airbag cover 45 of this embodiment, the gap formed between the rear wall portion 49 and the lid portion 69 constitutes the lap belt insertion portion 71, as shown in Figures 12 and 14. Specifically, the lap belt insertion portion 71 located on the right end 45b side of the airbag cover 45 has a front-to-rear width dimension (opening width dimension) that is approximately the same as the front-to-rear width dimension of the airbag cover 45 when it is laid flat, and has a larger opening width dimension than the lap belt insertion portion 67 located on the left end 45a side of the airbag cover 45. Of course, this lap belt insertion portion 71 located on the right end 45b side is also configured to allow insertion of the lap belt 10 (belt body 8) with the anchor member 14 attached. At the right end 45b of the airbag cover 45, the right edge 69a of the lid portion 69 and the right edge 46a of the front side wall portion 46 are sewn together over almost the entire front-to-back area, and the right end 45b of the airbag cover 45 is configured so that only the lap belt 10 (belt body 8) can be inserted through it.

[0031] Next, the mounting of the occupant protection device S of the embodiment onto the seat 1 will be described. First, the bag body 26 is folded to form a folded body 75, and a wrapping material (not shown) to prevent unraveling is wrapped around the outer circumference of the folded body 75 and the body-side portion 36 of the conduit section 35. Next, the tip 37a of the connecting portion 37 of the conduit section 35, which is arranged to extend from the folded body 75, is connected to the inflator 17 using the clamp 20 to form the airbag assembly. After that, the inflator 17 is first attached to the seat frame 4 using a predetermined bracket (not shown). The belt body 8 of the seat belt 7, which is arranged to extend from a retractor (not shown), is inserted from the end 8a side, together with the anchor member 14, into the wrap belt insertion portion 71 provided on the right end 45b side of the airbag cover 45. Next, the end 8a of the belt body 8, together with the anchor member 14, is inserted into the belt loop portion 40 located on the lower side of the folded body 75 (more precisely, the lower side of the main body portion 36), and at the same time, the folded body 75 is inserted into the main body portion 52 of the airbag cover 45 through the opening body 61 of the insertion opening 60. The end 8a of the belt body 8, together with the anchor member 14, is inserted into the wrap belt insertion portion 67 provided on the left end 45a side of the airbag cover 45. Subsequently, with the connecting portion 37 of the conduit 35 protruding from the airbag cover 45 (with the connecting portion 37 inserted into the opening body 61), the two strips 63F and 63B of the insertion opening 60 are wrapped around the opening body 61, overlapping their tips 63b, 63b, so as to reduce the diameter of the opening body 61 and the connecting portion 37. The tips 63b, 63b of the overlapping strips 63F and 63B are then connected to each other using fixing members 65 such as rivets, thereby enabling the occupant protection device S to be mounted on the seat 1. Next, the end 8a of the belt body 8 is fixed to the rear left end 3a of the seat portion 3 of the seat 1 using the anchor member 14, thereby enabling the seat belt 7 to be attached to the seat 1.

[0032] In the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, when the inflator 17 is activated while the occupant MP is seated in the seat 1 mounted in the vehicle with the seat belt 7 fastened, the inflation gas discharged from the inflator 17 flows into the bag body 26 via the conduit 35, causing the bag body 26 of the airbag 25 to rupture the portion 55 intended to rupture, pushing open the airbag cover 45, and protruding forward and upward from the lap belt 10, completing the inflation as shown by the dashed lines in Figures 3 and 4, and in Figures 16 and 17.

[0033] In the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, the airbag cover 45 that surrounds the folded body 75 formed by folding the airbag 25 (specifically, the bag body 26) is configured to cover the outer circumference of a portion of the belt body 8 (wrap belt 10), but the left end 45a and the right end 45b are closed so that at least the belt body 8 can be inserted through them. Therefore, when wearing the device, the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover 45 can be effectively restricted.

[0034] Therefore, even if the occupant protection device S of the embodiment is configured to cover only the area around the folded airbag 25, it is possible to restrict the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover 45.

[0035] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, the airbag cover 45 covers only the outer periphery of the folded body 75 and a portion of the belt body 8 (wrap belt 10). As a result, it can be made more compact compared to conventional occupant protection devices, and the seat belt 7 (belt body 8) can be attached to the occupant MP with ease.

[0036] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the airbag cover 45 is configured to have an insertion opening 60 on the left end 45a side, which is on the conduit portion 35 side, into which the folded body 75 can be inserted. This insertion opening 60 is configured to have an opening body 61 into which the folded body 75 is inserted, but a diameter-reducing member 62 is arranged around the opening body 61 so that the opening body 61 can be reduced in diameter after the folded body 75 has been inserted into the airbag cover 45. In other words, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, after the folded body 75 has been inserted into the airbag cover 45 through the opening body 61 of the insertion opening 60, the diameter of the opening body 61 can be reduced in diameter by the diameter-reducing member 62, and the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 can be maintained with the conduit portion 35 (specifically, the connection side portion 37 of the conduit portion 35) protruding. Therefore, the operation of storing the folded body 75 inside the airbag cover 45 can be easily performed. Furthermore, since the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 can be maintained, the opening of the opening body 61 (release of the reduced diameter state) after the folded body 75 is stored can be accurately suppressed, and the entry of foreign objects into the airbag cover 45 when fastening the seat belt 7 can be accurately restricted. If these points are not taken into consideration, an airbag cover may be used that does not have an insertion opening, but simply has an opening for inserting the folded body, and after the folded body is inserted inside, this opening can be closed by sewing or other methods.

[0037] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, the insertion opening 60 is provided only on the left end 45a side of the airbag cover 45. However, an airbag cover with such insertion openings provided on both the left and right ends may also be used. When using an airbag cover with such a configuration, the ends of the airbag cover can be opened wide when inserting the folded body into the airbag cover, making the insertion of the folded body into the airbag cover even easier. For example, it may also be possible for the user to replace the cover part with their preferred one at a dealer or the like.

[0038] Furthermore, in the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, the diameter-reducing member 62 includes a strip-shaped body (strip pieces 63F, 63B) that can be wrapped around the opening body 61, and is configured such that the wrapped state of the strip pieces 63F, 63B around the opening body 61 can be maintained by a fixing member 65 such as a rivet. In other words, in the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, the diameter-reduced state of the periphery of the opening body 61 can be maintained by being held down by the strip pieces 63F, 63B, and the diameter-reduced state of the opening body 61 can be stably maintained even when the conduit portion 35 (specifically, the connection side portion 37 of the conduit portion 35) is inserted. If these points are not taken into consideration, for example, a diameter-reducing member can be used that can reduce the diameter of the periphery of the opening body in a drawstring shape and maintain this diameter-reduced state. In this embodiment, a rivet is used as the fixing member 65, but the fixing member is of course not limited to a rivet. For example, a staple-like object, a snap or hook that can be permanently fastened, or any other object that makes it difficult to release the fixed state can be used. Alternatively, the strip pieces may be directly bonded together using an adhesive or the like.

[0039] In particular, in the airbag cover 45 of the occupant protection device S of the embodiment, two strips 63F and 63B are arranged so as to extend on both the front and rear sides when the airbag cover 45 is laid flat. Furthermore, each strip 63F and 63B is connected to the airbag cover 45 (main body 52) at a position that is closer to the center front and rear than the front edge 45c and rear edge 45d of the airbag cover 45 when laid flat, with the base portion 63a being connected. As a result, the opening body 61 can be easily reduced in diameter simply by wrapping the strips 63F and 63B around it, making the wrapping work easy. Moreover, since each strip 63F and 63B is formed with a width dimension W1 that is about half the width dimension W2 of the airbag cover 45 when laid flat, it can press down on the periphery of the opening body 61 with a wide area, and the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 can be stably maintained. Furthermore, in the airbag cover 45 of this embodiment, a lap belt insertion portion 67 for inserting the lap belt 10 (belt body 8) is provided separately from the insertion opening 60. That is, the lap belt 10 is not inserted through the opening body 61 of the insertion opening 60, but only through the connecting portion 37 of the conduit 35. Therefore, the reduced diameter state of the opening body 61 can be stably maintained. Of course, the shape and position of the strip are not limited to this embodiment. For example, the strip may be made of only one piece and extend from only one side of the front or rear edge of the airbag cover, or the strip (strip-shaped body) may be provided as a separate component from the airbag cover.

[0040] In the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, the airbag cover is made of synthetic leather, but of course, the material constituting the airbag cover is not limited to synthetic leather, and may be made of mesh material or the like, taking into consideration the feel against the skin when worn. When using a relatively soft material such as mesh material for the airbag cover, in order to ensure stable rupture of the area 55A that is to be ruptured when the airbag inflates, it is preferable to make the airbag cover 45A such as a double layer, by placing a reinforcing layer 81 made of a high-strength material (for example, a non-coated cloth used as the base material for the airbag) on ​​the inner circumferential surface side of the surface layer 80 made of mesh material or the like, as shown in Figure 18.

[0041] In this embodiment of the occupant protection device S, the seat belt 7 and the inflator 17 are mounted on the seat 1. Therefore, even when the seat 1 is moved relative to the vehicle by sliding or rotating it significantly forward or backward, the occupant MP seated on the seat 1 can be accurately protected by the airbag 25. Of course, the occupant protection device of the present invention is not limited to seats with this configuration, and can also be mounted on seats of the type that restrain the occupant with a seat belt that has a retractor on the vehicle body side. Furthermore, the inflator may also be mounted on the vehicle body side. In the occupant protection device S of this embodiment, although the airbag 25 is held by the lap belt 10 of the seat belt 7, the inflator 17 operates with a delay (approximately 5 ms) compared to the operation of the pretensioner mechanism of the seat belt 7. As a result, the airbag 25 can be inflated while the seat belt 7 stably maintains the occupant MP's seated position on the seat 1, and the airbag 25 and seat belt 7 can stably protect the occupant MP.

[0042] Furthermore, in the embodiment, an occupant protection device S configured to position the airbag 25 in the area of ​​the lap belt 10 is used as an example for explanation, but the occupant protection device to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to this embodiment. The present invention is also applicable to an occupant protection device configured to position the airbag in the area of ​​the shoulder belt. In addition, in the embodiment, an airbag 25 is used in which a conduit section 35 for supplying inflation gas to the bag body 26 is provided as part of the components of the airbag 25, but the occupant protection device to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the airbag of the embodiment. The present invention is also applicable to an occupant protection device configured to connect a conduit section, which is made of a cylindrical body or the like and is separate from the airbag, to the airbag. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1...Seat, 7...Seat belt, 8...Belt body, 10...Wrap belt, 17...Inflator, 25...Airbag, 26...Bag body, 35...Conduit section, 45...Airbag cover, 52...Main body section, 60...Insertion opening, 61...Opening body, 62...Diameter reduction member, 63F, 63B...Strip (strip-shaped body), 65...Fixing member (rivet), 67, 71...Wrap belt insertion section, 75...Folded body, MP...Occupant, S...Occupant protection device.

Claims

1. It is mounted on the vehicle's seat, Seat belts and, Inflator and An airbag is configured to be attached to the belt body of the seat belt in a folded state, and to inflate to protect the occupant seated in the seat by allowing the inflation gas discharged from the inflator to flow into the airbag when the inflator is activated, and by protruding forward. An airbag cover that surrounds the folded body when the airbag is folded, In an occupant protection device having the following configuration: The airbag is configured to include a bag body that inflates to protect the occupant, and a conduit section connected to the inflator that allows inflation gas to flow into the bag body. The airbag cover is elongated in length so as to cover the outer circumference of a portion of the belt body together with the folded body, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are closed so as to allow the belt body to be inserted, and at least one end on the conduit side has an insertion opening configured to allow the folded body to be inserted. The insertion opening comprises an opening body for inserting the folded body, and a diameter-reducing member arranged around the opening body to reduce the diameter of the opening body after the folded body has been inserted into the airbag cover. A crew protection device characterized in that the diameter-reducing member is configured to maintain the reduced diameter state of the opening body with the conduit portion protruding when the diameter is reduced.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the diameter-reducing member comprises a strip-shaped body that can be wrapped around the opening body, and a fixing member is provided to maintain the state in which the strip-shaped body is wrapped around the opening body.

3. Used in occupant protection devices installed in vehicle seats, In an airbag cover configured to surround the airbag attached to the belt body of a seat belt, An airbag cover characterized by being elongated in a manner that allows it to cover the outer circumference of a portion of the belt body together with the folded airbag, and having both ends in the longitudinal direction closed so that at least the belt body can be inserted through them.

4. The airbag is configured to include a bag body that inflates to protect the occupant, and a conduit section connected to the inflator for introducing inflation gas into the bag body, The airbag cover is configured to include a main body for housing the folded body, and an insertion opening formed at least on one end so as to allow the folded body to be inserted into the main body. The insertion opening comprises an opening body for inserting the folded body, and a diameter-reducing member arranged around the opening body to reduce the diameter of the opening body after the folded body has been inserted into the body. The airbag cover according to claim 3, characterized in that the diameter-reducing member is configured to maintain the reduced diameter state of the opening body with the conduit portion protruding when the diameter is reduced.

5. The airbag cover according to claim 4, characterized in that the diameter-reducing member comprises a strip-shaped body that can be wrapped around the opening body, and a fixing member is provided to maintain the state in which the strip-shaped body is wrapped around the opening body.

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