Vehicle and flying body

Abstract

This vehicle comprises: a front seat 2 the posture of which can be changed between a first posture in which a seating surface faces forward and a second posture in which the seating surface faces rearward; a rear seat 3 that is arranged behind the front seat 2 and that has a seating surface facing forward; and a floor airbag module 4 that is provided between the front seat 2 in the second posture and the rear seat 3, and that has a floor airbag which emerges between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 if an impact force acts on a host vehicle or an impact force is expected to act on the host vehicle, .

Description

Vehicles and Air Vehicles

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with front and rear seats that can face each other.

[0002] One known example of this type of vehicle is one in which the front seats can be rotated to allow the front and rear seats to face each other (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is an autonomously driven vehicle, and while traveling in autonomous driving mode, it allows passengers seated in the driver's seat and passenger seat to face passengers seated in the rear seats.

[0003] JP 2017-39400 A

[0004] However, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the occupants travel facing each other, so there is a risk that their legs may collide with each other with force when an impact force acts on the vehicle.

[0005] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a front seat that can be changed between a first position in which the seating surface faces forward and a second position in which the seating surface faces rearward, a rear seat that is positioned behind the front seat and has a seating surface facing forward, and a protective device that appears between the front seat and rear seat when an impact force is applied to the vehicle or when an impact force is predicted to be applied to the vehicle.

[0006] According to the present invention, even if an impact force acts on the vehicle while occupants are traveling facing each other, it is possible to prevent their legs from colliding with each other with force.

[0007] 7A . A plan view showing a first seating layout of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A plan view showing a second seating layout in which the front seats and the rear seats according to the first embodiment are arranged to face each other. A side view showing a floor airbag module provided between the front seats and the rear seats in the second position of FIG. 1B. A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an airbag ECU mounted in the vehicle according to the first embodiment. A flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the airbag ECU of FIG. 3. A side view showing a floor airbag module that can move integrally with the rear seat of a vehicle according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. A cross-sectional view showing a main configuration of a seat cushion for a rear seat of a vehicle according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. A side view showing a state in which the foot airbag of FIG. 6 is deployed. A cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 7A. A plan view showing a first seating layout of a vehicle according to a second embodiment. A plan view showing a second seating layout of a vehicle according to the second embodiment. A side view showing a floor airbag module provided between the front seats and the rear seats in the second position of FIG. 8B. A side view showing a roof airbag module provided in a ceiling portion of a vehicle according to a third embodiment. A side view showing a roof airbag module and a detection device according to a third modified example. 20A . FIG. 20B is a side view showing a roof airbag module and a floor airbag module provided in a vehicle according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 20C is a side view showing a roof airbag module and a floor airbag module according to a modified example of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 20D is a side view showing a table provided between the front seat and the rear seat in the second position of a vehicle according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 20E is a side view showing two floor airbag modules provided in the table according to a modified example of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 20F is a plan view showing the main configuration of an aircraft according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20G is a perspective view showing the main configuration of a seat arranged in the cabin of the aircraft. FIG. 20H is a perspective view showing the main configuration of a seat frame built into the seat. FIG. 20H is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of a seat cushion in which a cushion airbag module and a foot airbag module are arranged. FIG. 20I is a side view schematically showing a state in which the cushion airbag and the foot airbag are deployed. FIG. 20I is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX-XX of FIG. 20A. FIG. 20I is a block diagram showing the main configuration of an airbag ECU. FIG. 20I is a flowchart showing an example of a deployment process executed by the airbag ECU.

[0008] First Embodiment Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 7B. A vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a vehicle configured so that the front seats and rear seats can face each other, for example, a vehicle in which the front seats can be rotated 180 degrees or the seat backs of the front seats can be rotated from rear to front, so that the seating surfaces of the front seats can face rearward. Below, an example will be described in which the vehicle is applied to a vehicle configured so that the front seats and rear seats can face each other by rotating the front seats 180 degrees.

[0009] Furthermore, a vehicle having the above configuration is suitable for use in a vehicle with an automatic driving function, i.e., an automatic driving vehicle. In an automatic driving vehicle, passengers seated in the driver's seat and passenger seat can face each other and enjoy conversations with passengers seated in the rear seats while driving automatically. The vehicle may be an engine vehicle having an internal combustion engine (engine) as a driving source, an electric vehicle having a driving motor as a driving source, or a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a driving motor as driving sources, but in the case of an automatic driving vehicle, an electric vehicle is preferable.

[0010] First, the main configuration of the front seat 2 and rear seat 3 of the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1A is a plan view showing a first seat layout of the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that, for convenience, the front-to-rear direction (length direction), left-to-right direction (vehicle width direction), and up-to-down direction (height direction) will be defined below as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part will be described according to these definitions.

[0011] 1A, vehicle 1 includes a driver's seat 21 positioned facing a steering wheel 10 operated by a driver, a passenger seat 22 positioned to the side of the driver's seat 21, and a rear seat 3 positioned behind the driver's seat 21 and passenger seat 22. The driver's seat 21 and passenger seat 22 are provided independently and spaced apart on the left and right, and are referred to as front seats 2. The rear seat 3 includes a driver's side rear seat 31 located behind the driver's seat 21 and a passenger side rear seat 32 located behind the passenger seat 22, which are provided consecutively without being spaced apart on the left and right.

[0012] The front seat 2 includes a seat cushion 211 that supports the buttocks of the occupant, a seat back 212 that supports the back of the occupant, and a headrest 213 that supports the head of the occupant. The seat cushion 211 has a pair of left and right engaging portions (not shown) that slidably engage with a pair of left and right slide rails 11 that extend on the floor in the front-to-rear direction, and is configured to be movable on these slide rails 11. The seat back 212 is disposed at the rear end of the seat cushion 211 and is configured to be tiltable relative to the seat cushion 211 via a reclining mechanism 214. The headrest 213 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 212 and is configured to be able to change its height position relative to the seat back 212 to match the position of the occupant's head.

[0013] The rear seat 3 is a so-called bench seat, with a driver's seat-side rear seat 31 and a passenger's seat-side rear seat 32 connected to the left and right. The driver's seat-side rear seat 31 and the passenger's seat-side rear seat 32 are configured to be independently movable, and the passenger's seat-side rear seat 32 is longer in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) than the driver's seat-side rear seat 31.

[0014] More specifically, each of the driver's seat-side rear seat 31 and the passenger's seat-side rear seat 32 includes a seat cushion 311 that supports the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 312 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 313 that supports the occupant's head. Each seat cushion 311 has a pair of left and right engaging portions (not shown) that slidably engage with a pair of left and right slide rails 12 that extend on the floor in the front-rear direction, and is configured to be movable on these slide rails 12. Each seat back 312 is disposed at the rear end of the seat cushion 311 and is configured to be tiltable relative to the seat cushion 311 via a reclining mechanism 314. Each headrest 313 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 312 and is configured to be able to change its height relative to the seat back 312 to match the position of the occupant's head.

[0015] 1A, the seating surfaces of the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 face forward, and do not face each other. This position of the front seat 2 with the seating surface facing forward is called the first position.

[0016] 1B is a plan view showing a second seating layout in which the front seat 2 and rear seat 3 according to the first embodiment face each other. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , the front seat 2 further includes a rotation mechanism 215 that rotates the seat cushion 211 about a vertical rotation axis. The rotation mechanism 215 is provided below the seat cushion 211. More specifically, the rotation mechanism 215 is provided between the pair of left and right slide rails 11 and the seat cushion 211. The rotation mechanism 215 allows the front seat 2 to turn 180 degrees, and even after the front seat 2 has turned, it can still slide in the front-rear direction using the pair of left and right slide rails 11.

[0017] In the second seating layout shown in Figure 1B, the seating surface of the front seat 2 faces backward and the seating surface of the rear seat 3 faces forward, so that the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 face each other. This position of the front seat 2 with its seating surface facing backward is called the second position. The front seat 2 is configured to be able to change its position by a rotation mechanism 215 from a first position (Figure 1A) in which the seating surface faces forward to a second position (Figure 1B) in which the seating surface faces backward.

[0018] Next, the floor airbag module 4 of the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the floor airbag module 4 provided between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position shown in Fig. 1B. Hereinafter, the vehicle 1 may be referred to as the host vehicle 1 to distinguish it from other vehicles.

[0019] 2, the vehicle 1 is provided with a floor airbag 41 that is disposed between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position and that appears between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 when an impact force acts on the vehicle 1 or when an impact force is predicted to act on the vehicle 1. The floor airbag 41 is disposed between the driver's seat 21 in the second position and the driver's side rear seat 31, and between the passenger seat 22 in the second position and the passenger side rear seat 32 (see FIG. 1B).

[0020] The floor airbag 41 is housed in a floor airbag module 4, and when an impact force acts on the vehicle 1 or when an impact force is predicted to act on the vehicle 1, the floor airbag module 4 inflates and deploys the floor airbag 41 between an occupant seated in the front seat 2 in the second position and an occupant seated in the rear seat 3, thereby forming a protective device that protects the legs of both occupants.

[0021] The floor airbag module 4 is mounted on a floor surface 14 within the passenger compartment 13 of the vehicle 1 so that the floor airbag 41 inflates and deploys from below upward. The floor surface 14 has a recess 14a formed in a downwardly concave shape, and the floor airbag module 4 is housed in the recess 14a so as not to protrude from the floor surface 14. The recess 14a is formed as a generally rectangular parallelepiped that is elongated in the left-right direction, and the floor airbag module 4 is formed in generally the same shape as the recess 14a. By housing the floor airbag module 4 so that it does not protrude from the floor surface 14, the legs of occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 do not come into contact with the floor airbag module 4, preventing a deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle 1.

[0022] The recess 14a is covered with a lid 14b so that the floor airbag module 4 is not exposed from the floor surface 14. The lid 14b is provided with a breaking portion (not shown), which breaks when the floor airbag 41 inflates and deploys, and the floor airbag 41 appears inside the vehicle interior 13 through the breaking portion.

[0023] The floor airbag module 4 includes a floor airbag 41 and an inflator 42, and the floor airbag 41 and the inflator 42 are housed in a module case 43. The floor airbag 41 and the inflator 42 are both wrapped in a wrapping material or the like and housed in the module case 43.

[0024] The inflator 42 is a device that generates gas in response to an input signal from a harness (not shown). The airbag ECU 5 (described later) outputs an activation signal to the inflator 42 when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 15 (described later) exceeds a preset threshold, or when the airbag ECU 5 detects a monitored object with a collision probability calculated by the collision prediction unit 16 (described later) exceeding a predetermined value. When the activation signal is input to the inflator 42, the inflator 42 generates gas and injects it into the floor airbag 41. This causes the floor airbag 41 to inflate upward from the floor surface 14 and deploy between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position.

[0025] The floor airbag 41 is configured to inflate and deploy between the legs of an occupant seated in the front seat (driver's seat 21, passenger's seat 22) 2 in the second position and the legs of an occupant seated in the rear seat (driver's seat-side rear seat 31, passenger's seat-side rear seat 32) 3. For example, the floor airbag 41 is folded and housed in a module case 43 so as to be inflatable and deployable between the front seat 2 and rear seat 3 in the second position, and when gas is injected, the floor airbag 41 inflates and deploys by inflating from a break portion formed in the lid portion 14b.

[0026] Next, a description will be given of the airbag ECU 5 that controls the floor airbag module 4. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the airbag ECU 5 mounted on the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0027] 3, the airbag ECU 5 is connected to the floor airbag module 4, an acceleration sensor 15, a collision prediction unit 16, etc. The acceleration sensor 15 detects the acceleration of the vehicle 1 while it is moving, acceleration generated in the vehicle 1 due to a collision, etc., and outputs the detected acceleration information to the airbag ECU 5. The acceleration sensor 15 includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1, a lateral acceleration sensor that detects the lateral acceleration in the left and right direction of the vehicle 1, and a vertical acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle 1, etc.

[0028] A camera 17 and a radar device 18 are connected to the collision prediction unit 16. The camera 17 is provided on the interior side of the vehicle 1 above the windshield, and captures images of the external conditions of the vehicle 1 to obtain image information about the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and outputs the obtained image information to the collision prediction unit 16.

[0029] The radar device 18 detects objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles present around the vehicle 1, such as in front of, behind, to the left of, and to the right of the vehicle 1. The radar device 18 detects objects by transmitting radio waves (e.g., millimeter waves) around the vehicle 1 and receiving radio waves reflected by obstacles. The radar device 18 acquires the relative position and relative speed between the detected object and the vehicle 1, and outputs the acquired relative position information and relative speed information to the collision prediction unit 16.

[0030] The collision prediction unit 16 detects the position of an object on the image input from the camera 17 based on the relative position information and relative speed information input from the radar device 18. The collision prediction unit 16 also determines the type of the detected object (pedestrian, vehicle, etc.) based on the characteristics of the object. The collision prediction unit 16 repeats the above process at a predetermined cycle, monitors objects present around the vehicle 1, and calculates the probability of collision with the vehicle 1 for each monitored object.

[0031] When the collision prediction unit 16 detects a monitored object whose probability of collision with the host vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it predicts that the host vehicle 1 will collide with the monitored object, and outputs a collision prediction signal to the airbag ECU 5. That is, it outputs the collision prediction signal before a collision is detected by the acceleration sensor 15. The collision force signal also includes information indicating the type of collision (frontal collision / side collision / rear collision) between the host vehicle 1 and the colliding object.

[0032] The airbag ECU 5 includes a computer having a storage unit 51 such as a ROM, RAM, or hard disk, a calculation unit 52 such as a CPU, and other peripheral circuits (not shown). The storage unit 51 stores various programs and data executed by the calculation unit 52. The storage unit 51 also stores control data for controlling the floor airbag module 4 based on acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor 15. For example, the storage unit 51 stores an acceleration threshold value for outputting an activation signal to the inflator 42 of the floor airbag module 4.

[0033] The calculation unit 52 has, as functional components, an information receiving unit 521 and an information output unit 522. The information receiving unit 521 receives acceleration information transmitted from the acceleration sensor 15, a collision prediction signal transmitted from the collision prediction unit 16, and the like. The information output unit 522 outputs predetermined signals to various units based on the various information and signals received by the information receiving unit 521. For example, when a collision prediction signal is input from the collision prediction unit 16, the information output unit 522 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 42. Furthermore, when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 15 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the information output unit 522 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 42.

[0034] Next, an example of the process for deploying the floor airbag 41 executed by the airbag ECU 5 of the vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the airbag ECU 5 of Fig. 3.

[0035] First, in step S1, the information receiving unit 521 receives acceleration information output from the acceleration sensor 15. Next, in step S2, the information receiving unit 521 determines whether it has received a collision prediction signal output from the collision prediction unit 16. If the result in step S2 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S3, where the information output unit 522 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 42 of the floor airbag module 4, and the process ends.

[0036] On the other hand, if the result in step S2 is negative, the process proceeds to step S4, where the information output unit 522 determines whether the acceleration information received by the information receiving unit 521 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value. If the result in step S4 is negative, the process returns to step S2, and if the result in step S4 is positive, the process proceeds to step S3, where the information output unit 522 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 42 of the floor airbag module 4, as described above, and the process ends.

[0037] The first embodiment can achieve the following advantageous effects: (1) A vehicle 1 according to the first embodiment includes front seats (driver's seat 21, passenger seat 22) 2 that can be changed between a first position in which the seating surface faces forward and a second position in which the seating surface faces rearward, rear seats (driver's side rear seat 31, passenger's side rear seat 32) 3 that are arranged behind the front seats 2 and have seating surfaces that face forward, and a protection device that appears between the front seats (driver's seat 21, passenger's seat 22) 2 and the rear seats (driver's side rear seat 31, passenger's side rear seat 32) 3 when an impact force is applied to the vehicle 1 or when an impact force is predicted to be applied to the vehicle 1 ( FIGS. 1A to 2 ).

[0038] With this configuration, if an impact force acts on the host vehicle 1 while the occupants are traveling facing each other, the protective device appears between the facing occupants, thereby preventing their legs from colliding forcefully. Also, since the protective device appears even when an impact force is predicted to act on the host vehicle 1, it is possible to prevent their legs from colliding forcefully if an impact force subsequently acts on the host vehicle 1. In particular, since the protective device appears before an impact force acts on the host vehicle 1, it is possible to prevent their legs from colliding forcefully regardless of the timing of the subsequent impact force.

[0039] (2) The protection device is provided between the front seats (driver's seat 21, passenger seat 22) 2 and the rear seats (driver's side rear seat 31, passenger's side rear seat 32) 3 in the second position, and includes a floor airbag 41 that inflates and deploys between the front seats 2 and the rear seats 3 in the second position ( FIG. 2 ). With this configuration, when an impact force acts on the vehicle 1 while occupants are traveling facing each other, the floor airbag 41 deploys between the front seats 2 and the rear seats 3 in the second position, preventing their legs from colliding with each other forcefully. In particular, because the floor airbag 41 deploys before the impact force acts on the vehicle 1, it is possible to prevent their legs from colliding with each other forcefully, regardless of the timing of the subsequent impact force.

[0040] (3) The floor airbag 41 is disposed on the floor surface 14 so as to inflate and deploy from below upward (see FIG. 2). This configuration makes it easier for the floor airbag 41 to appear between the feet of an occupant seated in the front seat 2, which is in the second position, and the feet of an occupant seated in the rear seat 3.

[0041] (4) The floor surface 14 has a recess 14a formed in a concave shape downward. The floor airbag module 4 is housed in the recess 14a. With this configuration, the floor airbag module 4 can be housed so as not to protrude from the floor surface 14. Therefore, the legs of occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 do not come into contact with the floor airbag module 4, and the riding comfort of the vehicle 1 can be prevented from being impaired.

[0042] The first embodiment described above can be modified in various ways. Modifications of the first embodiment will be described below. In the following modifications, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0043] <First Modification> In the first embodiment described above, the floor airbag module 4 is housed in the recess 14a in the floor surface 14, but the floor airbag module 4 housed in the recess 14a may be configured to move integrally with the rear seat 3 or in conjunction with the movement of the rear seat 3. For example, the floor airbag module 4 may be connected to the rear seat 3, and the recess 14a may be formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction so that the floor airbag module 4 is movable in the front-to-rear direction within the recess 14a.

[0044] FIG. 5 is a side view showing a floor airbag module 4 that can move integrally with the rear seat 3 of a vehicle 1A (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) according to a first modification of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5 , the floor airbag module 4 and the rear seat 3 of the vehicle 1A according to the first modification are connected by a connecting portion 6. The connecting portion 6 has a pair of left and right first arms 61 extending in the front-rear direction and a pair of left and right second arms 62 extending in the up-down direction. The front ends of the pair of left and right first arms 61 are connected to both ends of the floor airbag module 4, and the rear ends of the pair of left and right first arms 61 are connected to the lower ends of the pair of left and right second arms 62. The upper ends of the pair of left and right second arms 62 are connected to the seat frame of the rear seat 3.

[0045] More specifically, the upper end portions of the pair of left and right second arms 62 are connected to a seat cushion frame (not shown), to which the seat cushion 311 of the rear seat 3 is attached and which serves as the framework of the seat cushion 311. The seat cushion frame is formed along the outer shape of the seat cushion 311, and the upper end portions of the pair of left and right second arms 62 extend in the front-rear direction and are connected to a pair of left and right side frames which form the left and right side portions of the seat cushion frame.

[0046] The recess 14a provided in the floor surface 14 is formed in a recessed shape extending in the front-rear and left-right directions, with the length in the front-rear direction corresponding to the length over which the seat cushion 311 can slide, and the length in the left-right direction being slightly longer than the left-right length of the floor airbag module 4 connected to the connecting portion 6. In this way, the recess 14a is formed in a size that allows the floor airbag module 4 connected to the connecting portion 6 to move integrally with the rear seat 3. The lid portion 14b is formed in a substantially rectangular shape extending in the front-rear and left-right directions, and is formed in a plate shape that covers the recess 14a. The lid portion 14b is provided with a plurality of breakable portions that allow the floor airbag 41 to appear from the breakable portions regardless of the position of the floor airbag module 4, which moves integrally with the rear seat 3.

[0047] The floor airbag module 4 is configured to move integrally with the rear seat 3, so that the floor airbag 41 can always appear at the feet of the occupant sitting in the rear seat 3, and the legs of the occupants can be more reliably prevented from colliding with each other forcefully.

[0048] <Second Modification> In the above-described first embodiment, the protective device is described as using the floor airbag module 4 emerging from the floor surface 14 inside the vehicle interior 13. However, a configuration may also be used in which a foot airbag module 7 emerging from the seat cushion 311 of the rear seat 3 and deploying between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position is used.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of a seat cushion 311A ​​provided in a rear seat 3 of a vehicle 1B (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. The seat cushion 311A ​​is configured by attaching a cushion pad made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam to a seat cushion frame, which serves as a skeleton, and further covering the cushion pad with a cover material made of synthetic leather or fabric. As shown in FIG. 6, the seat cushion 311A ​​has an airbag housing 315 that houses the foot airbag module 7. The airbag housing 315 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the left-right direction as a whole, and is arranged along the left-right direction at the front end of the seat cushion 311A.

[0050] The foot airbag module 7 housed in the airbag housing 315 constitutes a protection device that inflates and deploys when an impact force acts on the vehicle 1B or when an impact force is predicted to act on the vehicle 1B, thereby protecting the legs of the occupant. The foot airbag module 7 may be a caseless airbag module that does not have a module case, or may have a module case. In FIG. 6 , the foot airbag module 7 has a module case 73.

[0051] The foot airbag module 7 includes a foot airbag 71 and an inflator 72. The foot airbag 71 and the inflator 72 are both wrapped in a wrapping material or the like and housed in a module case 73. The inflator 72 is a device that generates gas in response to an input signal from a harness (not shown). The airbag ECU 5 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 72 when a collision prediction signal is input from the collision prediction unit 16 or when the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 15 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. When the activation signal is input to the inflator 72, the inflator 72 generates gas and injects it into the foot airbag 71. This causes the foot airbag 71 to appear at the feet of the occupant and protect both legs of the occupant. At this time, the foot airbag 71 inflates and deploys to surround both legs of the occupant.

[0052] Fig. 7A is a side view showing the foot airbag 71 of Fig. 6 in an inflated and deployed state, and Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Fig. 7A. As shown in Fig. 7A, the foot airbag 71 appears on the back (calf side) of both legs 101 of the occupant 100, and as shown in Fig. 7B, it deploys in front of the legs 101 below the knees of both legs 101 through the gap between the knees of both legs 101 (between the knees). In this way, the foot airbag 71 is configured to inflate and deploy in a substantially T-shape to protect both legs 101 of the occupant 100. Inflating and deploying the foot airbag 71 in a substantially T-shape can prevent the legs 101 of facing occupants 100 from colliding with each other and causing injury when an impact force is applied to the vehicle 1B.

[0053] <Third Modification> In the second modification, the foot airbag 71 is inflated and deployed in a generally T-shape, but the foot airbag 71 is not limited to being inflated and deployed in a generally T-shape, and may be configured to inflate and deploy in front of both legs 101 of the occupant 100. For example, the foot airbag 71 may be configured to emerge from the side of the seat cushion 311A ​​and inflate and deploy around to the front of both legs 101 of the occupant 100.

[0054] <Fourth Modification> In the first embodiment described above, the floor airbag module 4 is housed in a recess 14a formed in the floor surface 14, but the floor airbag module 4 may be disposed between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position, and may be disposed on the floor surface 14 between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position, for example.

[0055] <Fifth Modification> In the first embodiment described above, the floor airbag module 4 is used as the protection device, but the protection device may be configured to appear between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 when an impact force acts on the vehicle 1 or when an impact force is predicted to act on the vehicle 1. For example, the above configuration may protect the legs of each of the occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3, or may be configured to protect the leg of at least one of the occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3. By protecting at least one leg, it is possible to prevent the legs of facing occupants from colliding with each other with force.

[0056] <Sixth Modification> In the above first embodiment, the vehicle 1 is described using the front seat 2 that can be rotated 180 degrees so that the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 face each other. However, the vehicle may also be used in a vehicle that can be configured so that the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 face each other by rotating the seat back 212 of the front seat 2 from rear to front.

[0057] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8A to 9. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that are different from the first embodiment.

[0058] Fig. 8A is a plan view showing a first seat layout of a vehicle 1-2 according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 8B is a plan view showing a second seat layout of the vehicle 1-2 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 9 is a side view showing a floor airbag module 4 provided between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position shown in Fig. 8B. In the first embodiment described above, the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 are each configured to slide on a pair of left and right slide rails 11, 12 that are individually provided. However, as shown in Figs. 8A to 9, the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 may each be configured to slide on a common pair of left and right slide rails 11-2.

[0059] More specifically, a pair of left and right slide rails 11-2 are provided on the driver's seat 21 side and the passenger seat 22 side, respectively, extending in the front-to-rear direction within the floor surface 14 from the front to the rear of the passenger compartment 13. The driver's seat 21 and the driver's side rear seat 31 are configured to be slidable on the pair of left and right slide rails 11-2 on the driver's seat 21 side, and the passenger seat 22 and the passenger side rear seat 32 are configured to be slidable on the pair of left and right slide rails on the passenger seat 22 side. The floor airbag module 4 on the driver's seat 21 side is provided between the slide rails 11-2, 11-2 between the driver's seat 21 and the driver's side rear seat 31. On the other hand, the floor airbag module 4 on the passenger seat 22 side is provided between the slide rails 11-2, 11-2 between the passenger seat 22 and the passenger side rear seat 32.

[0060] In this way, by making the pair of left and right slide rails 11-2 on the driver's seat 21 side and the passenger seat 22 side common to the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3, the floor airbag module 4 is positioned between the slide rails 11-2, 11-2, which prevents the floor airbag module 4 from becoming larger in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction).

[0061] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 10. In the third embodiment, the same components as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that are different from the first and second embodiments.

[0062] 10 is a side view showing the roof airbag module 8 provided in the ceiling portion 19 of the vehicle 1-3 according to the third embodiment. In the first and second embodiments described above, the floor airbag module 4 is provided on the floor surface 14 between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position, but as shown in FIG. 10, the roof airbag module 8 may be provided in the ceiling portion 19 between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position.

[0063] More specifically, the roof airbag module 8 includes a roof airbag 81 and an inflator 82, and the roof airbag 81 and the inflator 82 are housed in a module case 83. The roof airbag modules 8 are respectively provided on the ceiling 19 in the passenger compartment 13 between the driver's seat 21 in the second position and the driver's side rear seat 31, and between the passenger's seat 22 in the second position and the passenger's side rear seat 32, so that the roof airbags 81 inflate and deploy from above downward.

[0064] The ceiling portion 19 has a recess 19a formed in a concave shape at the top, and the roof airbag module 8 is housed in the recess 19a so as not to protrude from the ceiling portion 19. The recess 19a is covered with a lid portion 19b so that the roof airbag module 8 is not exposed from the ceiling portion 19. The lid portion 19b has a breaking portion (not shown), which breaks when the roof airbag 81 inflates and deploys, and the roof airbag 81 appears inside the vehicle interior 13 through the breaking portion.

[0065] The roof airbag module 8 is controlled by the airbag ECU 5, similar to the floor airbag module 4. By providing the roof airbag module 8 instead of the floor airbag module 4 in this way, it becomes easier to ensure space for arranging a battery and the like below the floor 14 of the vehicle 1-3.

[0066] The third embodiment described above can be modified in various ways. Modifications of the third embodiment will be described below. In the following modifications, the same components as those in the third embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from the third embodiment.

[0067] <First Modification> In the third embodiment described above, roof airbags 81 are provided so as to inflate and deploy from above downward between the driver's seat 21 in the second position and the driver's side rear seat 31, and between the passenger seat 22 in the second position and the passenger side rear seat 32, respectively, but the roof airbags 81 may be configured so that their leading ends come into contact with the floor surface 14 when they inflate and deploy from above downward. By bringing the roof airbag 81 into contact with the floor surface 14 when the roof airbag 81 deploys, it becomes easier to separate the occupants seated in the front seats 2 and the rear seats 3.

[0068] <Second Modification> In the third embodiment described above, the roof airbag module 8 is housed in the recess 19a of the ceiling portion 19, but the roof airbag module 8 housed in the recess 19a may be configured to move in conjunction with or integrally with the movement of the front seat 2 or the rear seat 3. By moving the roof airbag module 8 in conjunction with or integrally with the movement of the front seat 2 or the rear seat 3, the roof airbag 81 can be deployed at an appropriate position between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3.

[0069] <Third Modification> In the above third embodiment, when the airbag ECU 5 detects an impact force acting on the vehicle 1 or predicts that an impact force will act on the vehicle 1, the roof airbag 81 is simply deployed from above downward. However, a detection device capable of detecting the state of the occupant may be provided on the ceiling 19, and the amount of operation of the roof airbag 81 may be controlled based on the detected state of the occupant.

[0070] 11 is a side view showing a roof airbag module 8 and a detection device provided on the ceiling 19 of a vehicle 1-3 according to a third modification of the third embodiment. In the third modification, the detection device is configured with a camera 9. In the third modification, when the airbag ECU 5 detects an impact force on the host vehicle 1 or predicts the impact force on the host vehicle 1, the amount of gas generated by the inflator 82 is adjusted based on the state of the occupant imaged by the camera 9. For example, when the feet of an occupant seated in the front seat 2 or the rear seat 3 are positioned directly below the roof airbag module 8, the roof airbag 81 is controlled to deploy to an extent that the roof airbag 81 does not come into contact with the feet of the occupant.

[0071] Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12. In the fourth embodiment, the same components as those in the first to third embodiments will be assigned the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that are different from the first to third embodiments.

[0072] Fig. 12 is a side view showing a roof airbag module 8 and a floor airbag module 4 provided in a vehicle 1-4 according to a fourth embodiment. In the first to third embodiments, either a roof airbag module 8 or a floor airbag module 4 is provided, but as shown in Fig. 12, both may be provided. By providing a roof airbag module 8 and a floor airbag module 4, for example, it is possible to reduce the size of the floor airbag module 4, making it easier to secure space below the floor 14 for arranging a battery or the like.

[0073] The fourth embodiment described above can be modified in various ways. Modifications of the fourth embodiment will be described below. In the following modifications, the same components as those in the fourth embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from the fourth embodiment.

[0074] <Modifications> In the fourth embodiment described above, the floor airbag module 4 and the roof airbag module 8 are provided between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position, but the roof airbag module 8 may be provided on the front side of the vehicle interior 13.

[0075] 13 is a side view showing the roof airbag module 8 and the floor airbag module 4 according to a modification of the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13, by providing the roof airbag module 8 on the front side of the ceiling portion 19, the head of an occupant sitting in the front seat 2 in the second position can be protected in an appropriate manner.

[0076] Fifth Embodiment Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 14. In the fifth embodiment, the same components as those in the first to fourth embodiments will be assigned the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on the parts that are different from the first to fourth embodiments.

[0077] FIG. 14 is a side view showing a table T provided between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position of a vehicle 1-5 according to a fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, a configuration may be adopted in which the table T is provided between the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position. By providing the table T, occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 in the second position can be more relaxed. In this case, two floor airbag modules 4 may be arranged in a row, front and rear, with the table T sandwiched between them. By arranging the two floor airbag modules 4 in a row, front and rear, with the table T sandwiched between them, occupants can be prevented from coming into contact with the table T even when an impact force or the like is applied to the vehicle 1-5.

[0078] <First Modification> In the above-described fifth embodiment, two floor airbag modules 4 are arranged side by side, one in front of the other, on either side of the table T, but they may also be provided within the table T. FIG. 15 is a side view showing two floor airbag modules 4 provided within the table T according to a modification of the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15 , for example, floor airbag modules 4, 4 that deploy toward occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the other in the rear seat 3 are provided within the table T, respectively, and a roof airbag module 8 is provided on the ceiling 19, thereby making it possible to protect the occupants in an optimal manner. Furthermore, by providing the roof airbag module 8 on the ceiling 19, the floor airbag modules 4, 4 provided within the table T can be made smaller.

[0079] <Second Modification> In the first modification described above, floor airbag modules 4, 4 that deploy toward occupants seated in the front seat 2 and the rear seat 3 are provided inside the table T, respectively, but the table T may be configured to move in conjunction with or integrally with the movement of the front seat 2 or the rear seat 3. Furthermore, two tables arranged side by side in the front and rear may be provided with floor airbag modules 4, 4, respectively, and each table may be configured to move in conjunction with or integrally with the movement of the front seat 2 or the rear seat 3.

[0080] Sixth Embodiment Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 22 . The flying vehicle according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention is an electric flying vehicle known as an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) that takes off and lands vertically. This type of flying vehicle has advantages such as not requiring a runway and being quieter due to its electric power, and is attracting attention as a new type of vehicle necessary for urban air transportation. However, unlike automobiles that travel on the ground, this type of flying vehicle may be subject to impacts from below the seats of occupants if it loses balance due to a sudden gust of wind or the like during flight. Therefore, in this embodiment, the following flying vehicle is configured to reduce impacts that seated occupants receive from below the seats during flight.

[0081] 16 is a plan view showing the main configuration of an aircraft 1-6 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. For convenience, the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions will be defined as shown in the figure, and each part will be described according to these definitions.

[0082] As shown in Figure 16, the aircraft 1-6 comprises an airframe 2-6 and four rotors 3-6 that generate lift for flight through the air. The airframe 2-6 is elongated in the longitudinal direction, with a cabin 20-6 for accommodating crew members located approximately in the center in the longitudinal direction. The cabin 20-6 constitutes a seating arrangement section where seats 21-6 are located for the crew members during flight, and in the aircraft 1-6, four rotors 3-6 are located on all four sides of the airframe 2-6, with the cabin 20-6 at the center.

[0083] The cabin 20-6 is provided with a first seat 21a-6 in which the pilot sits and a second seat 21b-6 in which passengers sit. The first seat 21a-6 is located at the front of the cabin 20-6, and the second seat 21b-6 is located behind the first seat 21a-6. A control stick 22-6 for controlling the aircraft 1-6 is located in front of the first seat 21a-6. Note that the first seat 21a-6 and the second seat 21b-6 have the same configuration, so in the following, the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6 will be referred to as seat 21-6, and the pilot and passengers seated in this seat 21-6 will be described as crew members.

[0084] Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the main components of the seat 21-6 arranged in the cabin 20-6 of the flying vehicle 1-6. The front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions in the figure correspond to the front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions in Figure 16. In other words, the front of the front-to-rear direction is the direction in which the occupant sitting in the seat 21-6 faces, the left-to-right direction is the width direction of the seat 21-6, and the up-to-down direction is the height direction of the seat 21-6.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 17 , the seat 21-6 includes a seat portion 4-6 on which the occupant sits and four legs 5-6 that support the seat portion 4-6. The seat portion 4-6 includes a seat cushion 41-6 that supports the occupant's buttocks, a seat back 42-6 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 43-6 that supports the occupant's head. The seat cushion 41-6 is configured to be movable on a pair of left and right seat rails 44-6 that extend in the front-to-rear direction. The seat back 42-6 is disposed at the rear end of the seat cushion 41-6 and is configured to be tiltable relative to the seat cushion 41-6 via a reclining mechanism 45-6. The headrest 43-6 is provided at the upper end of the seat back 42-6 and is configured to be able to change its height relative to the seat back 42-6 to match the position of the occupant's head.

[0086] Figure 18 is a perspective view showing the main configuration of the seat frame 6-6 built into the seat portion 4-6. As shown in Figure 18, the seat frame 6-6 has a seat cushion frame 61-6 that is a frame corresponding to the seat cushion 41-6, and a seat back frame 62-6 that is a frame corresponding to the seat back 42-6. The seat cushion frame 61-6 and the seat back frame 62-6 are formed to fit the outer shapes of the seat cushion 41-6 and the seat back 42-6, respectively.

[0087] 17 and 18, the seat cushion 41-6 is configured by attaching a cushion pad 411-6 made of a cushioning material such as urethane foam to a seat cushion frame 61-6, which serves as a skeleton, and further covering the cushion pad 411-6 with a cover material 412-6 made of synthetic leather or fabric. The cushion pad 411-6 is supported by the seat cushion frame 61-6 and functions as a pressure-receiving portion that receives a load from the buttocks of the occupant. More specifically, the cushion pad 411-6 has a central portion 411a-6 in the left-right direction and side portions 411b-6 on both the left and right sides thereof, and receives a downward load at the central portion 411a-6 and a lateral load at the side portions 411b-6.

[0088] The seat cushion frame 61-6 includes a front frame 611-6 extending in the left-right direction and constituting the front portion of the seat cushion frame 61-6, a pair of left and right side frames 612-6 extending in the front-rear direction and constituting the left and right sides of the seat cushion frame 61-6, and a rear frame 613-6 extending in the left-right direction and constituting the rear portion of the seat cushion frame 61-6. The front frame 611-6, the pair of left and right side frames 612-6, and the rear frame 613-6 are joined together by welding or the like, so that the seat cushion frame 61-6 is formed into a frame shape as a whole. A plurality of spring members 614-6 are provided inside the frame-shaped seat cushion frame 61-6 so as to span between the front frame 611-6 and the rear frame 613-6. The plurality of spring members 614-6 are configured in an elastically deformable bent shape and are formed by bending a wire or the like.

[0089] The seat cushion frame 61-6 is attached to four legs 5-6 and slidably engaged with a pair of left and right seat rails 44-6 extending in the fore-and-aft direction, thereby allowing the seat cushion 41-6 to move in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the body 2-6.

[0090] The seat back 42-6 is constructed by attaching a back pad 421-6 made of a cushioning material to a seat back frame 62-6, which serves as the skeleton, and then covering the outer surface of the back pad 421-6 with a cover material 422-6 made of synthetic leather or fabric. The back pad 421-6 is supported by the seat back frame 62-6 and functions as a pressure-receiving portion that receives the load from the back of the occupant. More specifically, the back pad 421-6 has a left-right central portion 421a-6 and side portions 421b-6 on both the left and right sides thereof, and the central portion 421a-6 receives rearward loads and the side portions 421b-6 receive lateral loads.

[0091] The seatback frame 62-6 has an upper frame 621-6 that extends in the left-right direction and forms the upper part of the seatback frame 62-6, a pair of left and right side frames 622-6 that stand upright in the vertical direction and form the left and right sides of the seatback frame 62-6, and a lower frame 623-6 that extends in the left-right direction and forms the lower part of the seatback frame 62-6. The upper frame 621-6, the pair of left and right side frames 622-6, and the lower frame 623-6 are joined together by welding or the like, and the seatback frame 62-6 is formed into a frame shape as a whole.

[0092] A back panel 624-6 is disposed inside the frame-shaped seat back frame 62-6. The back panel 624-6 is an elastically deformable plate-like member that extends in the vertical and horizontal directions and is made of resin or the like. An upper connecting wire 625-6 and a lower connecting wire 626-6 that extend in the horizontal direction are disposed behind the back panel 624-6. The upper connecting wire 625-6 and the lower connecting wire 626-6 are disposed so as to span between the left and right side frames 622-6, and the back panel 624-6 is supported by the pair of left and right side frames 622-6 via the upper connecting wire 625-6 and the lower connecting wire 626-6.

[0093] The lower portion of the seat back frame 62-6 is tiltably connected to the rear end of the seat cushion frame 61-6 via a reclining mechanism 45-6, thereby allowing the seat back 42-6 to tilt relative to the seat cushion 41-6.

[0094] The headrest 43-6 is constructed by attaching a headrest pad 431-6 made of a cushioning material to a core material that serves as a skeleton, and then covering the outside of that with a skin material 432-6 made of synthetic leather or fabric. The headrest 43-6 is attached to the seatback frame 62-6 by inserting a pair of pipes 433-6 attached to the core material into support brackets 627-6 provided on the upper frame 621-6 of the seatback frame 62-6.

[0095] In the seat 21-6, the seat cushion 41-6 has a cushion airbag module 7-6 that deploys on the seat surface of the seat cushion 41-6 and a foot airbag module 8-6 that deploys at the feet of an occupant sitting on the seat 21-6. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the seat cushion 41-6 in which the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 are built.

[0096] 19, the seat cushion 41-6 has a first airbag accommodating portion 413-6 that accommodates the cushion airbag module 7-6 and a second airbag accommodating portion 414-6 that accommodates the foot airbag module 8-6. The first airbag accommodating portion 413-6 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the left-right and front-rear directions, and is disposed in the front of the seat cushion 41-6 along the left-right direction.

[0097] The cushion airbag module 7-6 accommodated in the first airbag accommodating portion 413-6 constitutes a device that absorbs impacts from below the seat 21-6 and protects an occupant seated in the seat 21-6. The cushion airbag module 7-6 may be a caseless airbag module that does not have a module case, or may have a module case. In FIG. 19, the cushion airbag module 7-6 is a caseless airbag module.

[0098] The cushion airbag module 7-6 includes a cushion airbag 71-6 and an inflator 72-6. Both the cushion airbag 71-6 and the inflator 72-6 are held in place by being wrapped in a wrapping material or the like. The inflator 72-6 is a device that generates gas in response to an input signal from a harness (not shown). The airbag ECU 9-6 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 72-6 when the vertical acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor (impact detection unit) 93-6 exceeds a preset threshold. When the activation signal is input to the inflator 72-6, the inflator 72-6 generates gas and injects it into the cushion airbag 71-6. This causes the cushion airbag 71-6 to inflate and deploy between the cushion pad 411-6 and the seat cushion frame 61-6. The cushion airbag 71-6 is configured to inflate and deploy across the entire seating surface of the seat cushion 41-6. For example, the cushion airbag 71-6 is folded and stored in the first airbag storage section 413-6 so as to be able to inflate and deploy over the entire seat surface, and when gas is injected, it inflates and deploys over the entire seat surface along the underside of the cushion pad 411-6. By inflating and deploying over the entire seat surface of the seat cushion 41-6, the cushion airbag 71-6 can absorb impacts from below over a wide area, thereby further reducing the impact.

[0099] The cushion airbag module 7-6 is attached to an airbag holding portion 615-6 attached to the seat cushion frame 61-6. The airbag holding portion 615-6 is a plate-shaped member extending in the vertical and horizontal directions, and is formed by bending a steel plate. The airbag holding portion 615-6 is integrally joined to the front frame 611-6 of the seat cushion frame 61-6 by welding or the like.

[0100] The second airbag accommodating portion 414-6 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long in the left-right direction, and is disposed along the left-right direction at the front end of the seat cushion 41-6. More specifically, the second airbag accommodating portion 414-6 is disposed diagonally downward and forward of the first airbag accommodating portion 413-6, and is disposed slightly below the back of the knees of an occupant seated in the seat 21-6.

[0101] The foot airbag module 8-6 accommodated in the second airbag accommodating portion 414-6 constitutes a device that absorbs impacts from below the seat 21-6, particularly impacts applied to the legs of the occupant, and protects the legs of the occupant. The foot airbag module 8-6 may be a caseless airbag module that does not have a module case, or it may have a module case. In FIG. 19, the foot airbag module 8-6 has a module case 83-6.

[0102] The foot airbag module 8-6 includes a foot airbag 81-6 and an inflator 82-6. The foot airbag 81-6 and the inflator 82-6 are both wrapped in a wrapping material or the like and housed in a module case 83-6. The inflator 82-6 is a device that generates gas in response to an input signal from a harness (not shown). The airbag ECU 9-6 outputs an activation signal to the inflator 82-6 when the vertical acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 93-6 exceeds a preset threshold. When the activation signal is input to the inflator 82-6, the inflator 82-6 generates gas and injects it into the foot airbag 81-6. This causes the foot airbag 81-6 to inflate and deploy at the feet of the occupant to protect both legs of the occupant. At this time, the foot airbag 81-6 inflates and deploys to surround both legs of the occupant.

[0103] Fig. 20A is a side view schematically showing the cushion airbag 71-6 and the foot airbag 81-6 in a deployed state, and Fig. 20B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX-XX of Fig. 20A. As shown in Fig. 20A, the cushion airbag 71-6 inflates and deploys over the entire seat surface, and the foot airbag 81-6 inflates and deploys on the backs (calf sides) of both legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6. The foot airbag 81-6 is configured to deploy over the entire backs of the knees 11a-6 of both legs 11-6 and also to protrude into the gap between the knees 11a-6 of both legs 11-6 (between the knees 11a-6) as shown in Fig. 20B. In other words, the foot airbag 81-6 inflates and deploys in a generally convex shape to protect both legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6. By expanding and deploying the foot airbag 81-6 in a generally convex shape, it is possible to prevent injuries caused by the legs colliding with each other when an impact is received from below. For example, it is possible to prevent injuries to the knees of both legs 11-6 when the knees of both legs 11-6 collide with each other. Furthermore, the convex portion 811-6 that protrudes forward in the gap between the legs 11-6 protrudes so that its tip is positioned forward of both legs 11-6. Therefore, even if both legs 11-6 are thrown upward when an impact is received from below, the tip of the convex portion 811-6 of the foot airbag 81-6, which is positioned forward of both legs 11-6, will come into contact with an obstacle or the like before both legs 11-6 do, thereby reducing the impact received by both legs 11-6.

[0104] In order to further reduce the impact on the legs 11-6, it is preferable to provide a knee airbag 25-6 (see, for example, FIG. 16 ) above the area in the cabin 20-6 where the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6 are accommodated. By providing the knee airbag 25-6 in such an area, the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6 can be sandwiched between the foot airbag 81-6 and the knee airbag 25-6 even if the legs 11-6 are thrown upward when an impact is received from below. For a passenger seated in the second seat 21b-6, a knee airbag can be provided, for example, below the seatback 42-6 of the first seat 21a-6.

[0105] One end of each of the four legs 5-6 is connected to the four sides of a pair of left and right seat rails 44-6, and the other end is connected to the floor 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6. In other words, the seat 4-6 is not directly installed on the floor 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6, but is installed on the floor 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6 via the four legs 5-6. In the seat 21-6, each of the four legs 5-6 is configured as a damper (shock absorbing device). By configuring the legs 5-6 supporting the seat 4-6 with dampers, the legs (dampers) can absorb impacts when an impact is received from below, thereby reducing the impact received by the occupant. Furthermore, using dampers on the legs 5-6 rather than providing dampers on the legs 5-6 simplifies the configuration.

[0106] In the seat 21-6, the leg 5-6 is configured as a friction damper. More specifically, the leg 5-6 includes a cylindrical sliding portion 51-6, a storage portion 52-6 configured to store the sliding portion 51-6 therein, and a friction generating portion 53-6 that generates friction when the sliding portion 51-6 slides within the storage portion 52-6. The sliding portion 51-6 is configured as a cylindrical piston rod, one end of which is connected to the floor surface 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6. The storage portion 52-6 is configured as a cylindrical cylinder with a bottom, the bottom of which is connected to the seat rail 44-6. The friction generating portion 53-6 is provided at the insertion end of the storage portion 52-6 into which the sliding portion 51-6 is inserted. The friction generating portion 53-6 has a base portion 53a-6 having a plurality of through holes 53b-6 formed in the radial direction, a plurality of abutment portions 53c-6 inserted into each of the plurality of through holes 53b-6, and a plurality of urging portions 53d-6 that urge each of the plurality of abutment portions 53c-6 toward the sliding portion 51-6 stored in the storage portion 52-6, and generates a frictional force by abutting the abutment portions 53c-6 against the outer peripheral surface of the sliding portion 51-6.

[0107] The four rotors 3-6 are arranged on the four sides of the fuselage 2-6, front to back, left to right, and right to left, with the cabin 20-6 at the center. More specifically, the four rotors 3-6 are composed of a first rotor 31-6 arranged on the front right side of the fuselage 2-6, a second rotor 32-6 arranged on the rear right side, a third rotor 33-6 arranged on the front left side, and a fourth rotor 34-6 arranged on the rear left side. Note that the first to fourth rotors 31-6 to 34-6 have the same configuration, so only the first rotor 31-6 will be described here, and descriptions of the second to fourth rotors 32-6 to 34-6 will be omitted.

[0108] The first rotor 31-6 is connected to a rotary shaft 35a-6 of a motor 35-6 attached to the tip of a pair of arms 23-6, 23-6 extending rightward from the right side of the fuselage 2-6, and rotates to generate thrust when driven by the motor 35-6. The motor 35-6 has an output capable of transporting the occupant 10-6 and is configured to be powered by a battery (not shown). Note that the first rotor 31-6 and the motor 35-6 can be configured similarly to those used in electric flying vehicles such as eVTOLs, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0109] Next, the airbag ECU 9-6 that controls the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 will be described. Figure 21 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the airbag ECU 9-6.

[0110] As shown in FIG. 21 , an acceleration sensor 93-6, a first seating sensor 94-6, and a second seating sensor 95-6 are connected to the airbag ECU 9-6. The acceleration sensor 93-6 detects the vertical acceleration of the flying vehicle 1-6 and outputs the detected acceleration information to the airbag ECU 9-6. The first seating sensor 94-6 is provided on the seating surface of the first seat 21a-6 (e.g., between the cushion pad 411-6 and the upholstery material 412-6) and outputs a first seating signal to the airbag ECU 9-6 upon detecting a pilot seated in the first seat 21a-6. The second seating sensor 95-6 is provided on the seating surface of the second seat 21b-6 (e.g., between the cushion pad 411-6 and the upholstery material 412-6) and outputs a second seating signal to the airbag ECU 9-6 upon detecting a passenger seated in the second seat 21b-6.

[0111] The airbag ECU 9-6 includes a computer having a storage unit 91-6 such as a ROM, RAM, and hard disk, a calculation unit 92-6 such as a CPU, and other peripheral circuits (not shown). The storage unit 91-6 stores various programs and data executed by the calculation unit 92-6. The storage unit 91-6 also stores control data for controlling the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 based on the vertical acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 93-6. For example, the storage unit 91-6 stores acceleration thresholds for outputting activation signals to the inflators 72-6 and 82-6 of the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6.

[0112] The calculation unit 92-6 has, as its functional configuration, an information receiving unit 92a-6 and an information output unit 92b-6. The information receiving unit 92a-6 receives various information transmitted from the sensor group. For example, the information receiving unit 92a-6 receives acceleration information input from the acceleration sensor 93-6, first and second seating signals input from the first and second seating sensors, etc. The information output unit 92b-6 outputs predetermined signals to various units based on the various information received by the information receiving unit 92a-6. For example, the information output unit 92b-6 outputs an activation signal to the inflators 72-6, 82-6 when the vertical acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 93-6 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. At this time, when the information receiving unit 92a-6 receives only the first seating signal, the information output unit 92b-6 outputs an activation signal only to the inflators 72-6, 82-6 of the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 provided in the first seat 21a-6. On the other hand, when the information receiving unit 92a-6 receives both the first and second seating signals, the information output unit 92b-6 outputs an activation signal to each of the inflators 72-6, 82-6 of the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 provided in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6.

[0113] Next, an example of the deployment process of the cushion airbag 71-6 and the foot airbag 81-6 executed by the airbag ECU 9-6 of the flying vehicle 1-6 configured as described above will be described. Figure 22 is a flowchart showing an example of the deployment process executed by the airbag ECU 9-6.

[0114] First, in step S11, the information receiving unit 92a-6 receives vertical acceleration information output from the acceleration sensor 93-6. Next, in step S12, the information output unit 92b-6 determines whether the received acceleration information is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. If the result in step S12 is negative, the process returns to step S11.

[0115] On the other hand, if the result of step S12 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S13, in which the information output unit 92b-6 determines whether the information receiving unit 92a-6 has received a second seating signal. If the result of step S13 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S14, in which the information output unit 92b-6 outputs activation signals to the inflators 72-6, 82-6 of the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 provided in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6, respectively, and the process ends.

[0116] On the other hand, if the result in step S13 is negative, the process proceeds to step S15, in which the information output unit 92b-6 outputs an activation signal to the inflators 72-6, 82-6 of the cushion airbag module 7-6 and the foot airbag module 8-6 provided in the first seat 21a-6, and the process ends.

[0117] This embodiment provides the following advantageous effects. (1) The aircraft 1-6 includes an airframe 2-6 and rotors 3-6 rotatably supported on the airframe 2-6. The rotors 3-6 rotate to generate thrust for flight ( FIG. 16 ). The airframe 2-6 includes first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6 on which an occupant (pilot and passenger) 10-6 sits, and shock-absorbing devices (cushion airbags, foot airbags, and dampers) that absorb shocks received from below the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6 ( FIG. 5A ). With this configuration, even if an impact is received from below the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6 on which the occupant 10-6 sits during flight, the shock is absorbed by the shock-absorbing devices, thereby reducing the impact received by the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6.

[0118] (2) The first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 each include a seat portion 4-6 and a plurality of legs 5-6 that support the seat portion 4-6. The impact absorbing device includes a damper for each of the plurality of legs 5-6 (see FIG. 2). With this configuration, when an impact is received from below, the dampers constituting the legs 5-6 of the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 can absorb the impact, thereby reducing the impact received by the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6. Furthermore, by using dampers for the legs 5-6 rather than providing dampers on the legs 5-6, the configuration of the legs 5-6 can be simplified.

[0119] (3) The first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 each include a seat cushion 41-6 and a seat back 42-6 ( FIG. 17 ). The impact absorbing device includes an acceleration sensor 93-6 that detects vertical acceleration acting on the seat cushion 41-6 and a cushion airbag 71-6 that is provided across the entire seat surface inside the seat cushion 41-6 and inflates when the acceleration sensor 93-6 detects acceleration above a predetermined threshold ( FIG. 19 ). This configuration allows the cushion airbag 71-6 to absorb impacts from below, thereby reducing the impact experienced by the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6. In particular, deploying the cushion airbag 71-6 across the entire seat surface allows for a wide range of downward impact absorption, further reducing the impact.

[0120] (4) The impact absorbing device further includes a foot airbag 81-6 that is provided inside the seat cushion 41-6 and inflates at the feet of the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6 when an acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold is detected by the acceleration sensor 93-6 ( FIG. 19 ). With this configuration, the foot airbag 81-6 can absorb impact when an impact is received from below, thereby reducing the impact received by the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6. In particular, by inflating and deploying at the feet of the occupant 10-6, the impact received by the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6 can be reduced.

[0121] The sixth embodiment described above can be modified in various ways. Modifications of the sixth embodiment will be described below. In the following modifications, the same components as those in the sixth embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from the sixth embodiment.

[0122] <First Modification> In the sixth embodiment described above, the flying vehicle 1-6 is provided with first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 having cushion airbags 71-6 and foot airbags 81-6. However, in addition to the above airbags, the flying vehicle may also have a cockpit airbag that deploys in front of the occupant (pilot) 10-6 seated in the first seat 21a-6, a passenger airbag that deploys in front of the occupant (passenger) 10-6 seated in the second seat 21b-6, a pair of side airbags that deploy on both sides of the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6, a pair of curtain airbags that deploy on both sides of the cabin 20-6, etc. By providing these airbags, the impact received by the occupant 10-6 seated in the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 can be reduced even in the event of an impact from a direction other than downward on the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6, thereby preventing the occupant 10-6 from being injured, etc.

[0123] Furthermore, if the cabin 20-6 has an openable or removable ceiling (for example, one shaped like a transparent capsule lid), a head airbag that deploys above the head of the occupant 10-6 upon impact may be provided in the ceiling. The head airbag preferably deploys to surround the head, and may be configured to deploy to the front, back, left, and right of the occupant 10-6's head, for example. Providing a head airbag can protect the head of the occupant 10-6 when the aircraft 20-6 is impacted from below.

[0124] Similarly, if the cabin 20-6 has a ceiling, the pair of curtain airbags described above may be deployed from the ceiling along the side of the cabin 20-6. Alternatively, airbags may be deployed from the ceiling to the front and rear of each of the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6, so that the front, rear, left, and right sides of each of the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 are surrounded by airbags deployed from the ceiling. In the case where the front, rear, left, and right sides of each of the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6 are surrounded by airbags, the airbags may be deployed from the floor 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6 instead of the ceiling. Deploying the airbags from the floor 20a-6 eliminates any gap between the deployed airbags and the floor 20a-6, and, for example, can reduce an impact from a diagonal downward direction on each of the first and second seats 21a-6, 21b-6.

[0125] <Second Modification> In the sixth embodiment described above, the foot airbag 81-6 is provided inside the seat cushion 41-6 to protect the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6, but the foot airbag 81-6 may be provided on the floor surface 20a-6 of the cabin 20-6 and inflated and deployed from the floor surface 20a-6 to protect the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6. In this case, it is preferable that the foot airbag inflates and deploys in a substantially cylindrical shape, and that the legs 11-6 of the occupant 10-6 are positioned in the space at the center of the foot airbag to wrap around and protect them.

[0126] Although the sixth embodiment has been described above using an aircraft 1-6 having four rotors 3-6, the number of rotors 3-6 is not limited to this. Furthermore, although the above embodiment has been described using an aircraft 1-6 having first and second seats 21a-6 and 21b-6, the number of seats 21-6 is not limited to this.

[0127] In the sixth embodiment, friction dampers are used for the four legs 5-6, but the type of damper is not limited to this. For example, the damper may be a damper that uses oil, gas, a spring, or the like.

[0128] In the sixth embodiment described above, the flying vehicle 1-6 is described as an electrically powered flying vehicle that uses power stored in a battery to drive the motor 35-6 and rotate the rotors 3-6, but the flying vehicle may be one that generates power using other power sources, supplies power to a battery, and uses this power to drive the motor and rotate the rotors.

[0129] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. One or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can also be combined with each other.

[0130] 1 Vehicle (own vehicle), 2 Front seat, 3 Rear seat, 4 Floor airbag module (protection device), 5 Airbag ECU, 14 Floor surface, 14a Recess, 21 Driver's seat, 22 Passenger seat, 41 Floor airbag

Claims

1. The front seats can be adjusted to either a first position where the seating surface faces forward or a second position where it faces backward. The rear seats are positioned behind the aforementioned front seats, with the seating surface facing forward, A protective device that appears between the front seat and the rear seat when an impact force acts on the vehicle, or when an impact force is expected to act on the vehicle, is provided. The protective device has an airbag that inflates and deploys between the front seat and the rear seat, which is the second position. The vehicle is characterized in that the airbag is positioned on the floor so as to inflate and deploy from below upward.

2. In the vehicle described in claim 1, The floor surface has a recess formed in a concave shape downwards, The vehicle is characterized in that the airbag is housed in a recess.

3. In the vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, The system further comprises a pair of left and right sliding rails extending on the floor surface in the front-rear direction, The rear seat has a pair of left and right engaging parts that slidably engage with the pair of left and right sliding rails, The vehicle is characterized in that the airbag is mounted on the rear seat so as to move together with the rear seat.

4. The front seats can be adjusted to either a first position where the seating surface faces forward or a second position where it faces backward. The rear seats are positioned behind the aforementioned front seats, with the seating surface facing forward, When an impact force acts on the vehicle, or when an impact force is expected to act on the vehicle, a protective device appears between the front seat and the rear seat, It comprises a pair of left and right sliding rails extending on the floor surface in the front-to-back direction, The protective device has an airbag that inflates and deploys between the front seat and the rear seat, which is the second position. Each of the front and rear seats has a pair of left and right engaging parts that slidably engage with the pair of left and right sliding rails, A vehicle characterized in that the airbag is configured to move in conjunction with the movement of the front seat or the rear seat.

5. In the vehicle described in claim 4, The vehicle is characterized in that the airbag is positioned in the ceiling so as to inflate and deploy from top to bottom.

6. An aircraft comprising a body and a rotor blade rotatably supported on the body, configured to fly through the air by generating thrust through the rotation of the rotor blade, The aircraft is characterized by having a seat in which a crew member sits, and an impact absorbing device that absorbs impacts received from below the seat.