Occupant protection device

Abstract

An objective of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device that suppresses large deformation of a seat pan and contributes to an improvement in performance for restraining the lumbar portion of an occupant.　The occupant protection device comprises an airbag cushion and an inflator, and the airbag cushion includes: an inflator accommodating unit which is provided on the lower side of a seat pan in a folded state and which accommodates the inflator; and a main inflation unit which is provided on the upper side of the seat pan. When the airbag cushion is being inflated and deployed, the inflator accommodating unit is inflated and deployed on the lower side of the seat pan, the main inflation unit is inflated and deployed on the upper side of the seat pan, thereby pushing up the seat surface of a seat cushion, and a connecting portion that provides communication between the insides of the inflator accommodating unit and the main inflation unit is configured to penetrate through the seat pan in the vertical direction.

Description

Occupant protection device

[0001] The present invention relates to an occupant protection device provided inside or below a seat cushion of a vehicle seat.

[0002] When the vehicle undergoes a frontal collision, the occupant tends to move forward due to inertia. In Patent Document 1, in such a frontal collision, an airbag fixed on a seat pan in the vehicle seat is instantaneously inflated and deployed, thereby raising the front end portion of the seat cushion, and thereby suppressing the forward movement of the occupant's waist. An occupant protection device is described.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-118820

[0004] In such a conventional occupant protection device, the airbag starts to inflate and deploy on the upper surface of the seat pan and inflates and deploys while receiving a reaction force from the upper surface of the seat pan. However, depending on the form of the seat pan, the seat pan may be greatly deformed by the load from the inflated airbag. Due to the large deformation of the seat pan, the airbag may not exhibit its original intended deployment behavior. As a result, the pushing up of the seat surface by the airbag may not be sufficient, and there is a possibility that the restraint performance of the occupant's pelvis and waist may decrease.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection device that suppresses large deformation of the seat pan and contributes to an improvement in the waist restraint performance of the occupant.

[0006] An occupant protection device according to one aspect of the present invention is an occupant protection device provided inside or below the seat cushion of a vehicle seat, comprising: a foldable and inflatable airbag cushion; and an inflator that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the internal space of the airbag cushion in the event of a vehicle emergency, wherein the inflator is provided below a seat pan located below at least the front portion of the seat cushion, and the airbag cushion, in its folded state, has an inflator housing portion provided below the seat pan for housing the inflator, and a main inflation portion provided above the seat pan, wherein when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, the inflator housing portion inflates and deploys below the seat pan, and the main inflation portion inflates and deploys above the seat pan to push up the seat surface of the seat cushion, and a connecting portion that connects the interiors of the inflator housing portion and the main inflation portion is configured to penetrate the seat pan in the vertical direction.

[0007] In this configuration, the airbag cushion first inflates and deploys under the seat pan when gas is supplied to it, and then the main inflation section instantly inflates and deploys over the seat pan when gas is drawn in from the inflator housing, pushing up the seat surface. As a result, the main inflation section does not actively utilize the upper surface of the seat pan as a reaction surface when inflating and deploying, thus reducing the load on the seat pan. Therefore, it is possible to suppress large deformations of the seat pan and contribute to improving the occupant's lumbar restraint performance.

[0008] This is a perspective view showing the external shape of a vehicle seat equipped with an occupant protection device according to an embodiment. This is a perspective view showing the internal frame structure of the vehicle seat in Figure 1A. This is a perspective view showing the front of the vehicle seat with a portion omitted. This is a diagram showing the occupant protection device according to Embodiment 1 in a lateral cross-section of the front of the vehicle seat, showing the state before the airbag cushion inflates and deploys. This is a diagram showing the occupant protection device according to Embodiment 1 in a lateral cross-section of the front of the vehicle seat, showing the state when the airbag cushion has inflated and deployed. This is a perspective view of Figure 4. This is a plan view of the airbag cushion in a flat state before it is folded, where (a) shows the state in which a single base fabric is laid flat before the airbag cushion is made into a bag, (b) shows the state in which the constricted part of the base fabric is folded downwards from the state in (a), and (c) shows the state in which the base fabric is further folded back from the state in (b), and each periphery is sewn together to form a bag. This is a diagram showing the occupant protection device according to Embodiment 2 in a lateral cross-section of the front of the vehicle seat, showing the state before the airbag cushion inflates and deploys.

[0009] A occupant protection device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In this document, up and down, left and right, and front and back are defined as follows. When an occupant is seated in a seat (vehicle seat) in a normal posture, the direction the occupant is facing is called the front, and the opposite direction is called the rear, and when indicating the axis of the coordinate system, it is called the front and back direction. Similarly, when an occupant is seated in a vehicle seat in a normal posture, the right side of the occupant is called the right direction, and the left side of the occupant is called the left direction, and when indicating the axis of the coordinate system, it is called the left and right direction or the seat width direction. Likewise, when an occupant is seated in a normal posture, the direction of the occupant's head is called up, and the direction of the occupant's waist is called down, and when indicating the axis of the coordinate system, it is called the up and down direction.

[0010] Furthermore, in this book, "occupant" refers to a dummy used for frontal crash tests (a human body dummy for frontal crash tests as defined by the Hybrid III AM50 / NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] standards [49CFR Part 572 Subpart E and O]), who has a physique equivalent to an average American male, with approximate dimensions of 175 cm in height, 88 cm in sitting height, and 78 kg in weight.

[0011] [Embodiment 1] As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the vehicle seat 100 includes a seat back 1 that supports the occupant's back, a seat cushion 2 on which the occupant sits, and a headrest 3 that supports the occupant's head. The vehicle seat 100 is, for example, the driver's seat or the passenger seat, but it may also be a rear seat.

[0012] Inside the seat back 1 and seat cushion 2, there is a back frame 10 and a seat frame 20, respectively, which form the framework of the seat. The back frame 10 and the seat frame 20 are made of metal parts or processed hard resin and are connected to each other via a reclining mechanism 4. The seat frame 20 has a pair of side frames 22, 22 that are spaced apart on the left and right sides, and a seat pan 24 (see Figure 2) is installed between the front ends of the pair of side frames 22, 22. The seat pan 24 is located below at least the front portion of the seat cushion 2, and a seat spring 25 that supports the seat cushion 2 is provided behind the seat pan 24.

[0013] The seat cushion 2 includes, for example, a seat pad made of urethane foam or the like that covers the surface and surrounding area of ​​the seat frame 20, and a seat cover made of leather, fabric or the like that that covers the surface of the seat pad. The upper surface of the seat cover constitutes the surface on which the occupant sits, i.e., the seat surface 26 of the seat cushion 2.

[0014] The occupant protection device 30 is installed inside or below the seat cushion 2. For example, the occupant protection device 30 is installed inside the seat cushion 2 and covered by the seat cover. As will be described later, a part of the occupant protection device 30 (particularly the inflator 54) is installed on the underside of the seat pan 24.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the sheet pan 24 extends in the sheet width direction, bridging a pair of side frames 22, 22. Here, the sheet pan 24 is installed between the front ends of the pair of side frames 22, 22 and is bolted to the upper surfaces of the pair of side frames 22, 22 at multiple points (two points) on both the left and right sides. The sheet pan 24 is made, for example, by processing an iron or steel plate.

[0016] The seat springs 25 are positioned inside the seat cushion 2 to provide cushioning to the seat cushion 2, and are, for example, bent into a wave shape. Multiple seat springs 25 are provided in the seat width direction, and each extends in the front-rear direction. One end (rear end) of the seat spring 25 is locked to a connecting bar 28 that connects the rear ends of a pair of side frames 22, 22 (see Figure 1B). The other end (front end) of the seat spring 25 is locked to a submarine bar 27. Note that the submarine bar 27 is omitted in Figure 1B.

[0017] The submarine bar 27 is designed to suppress the submarine effect and extends in the seat width direction, bridging a pair of side frames 22, 22. The submarine bar 27 is located behind the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24. The space between the submarine bar 27 and the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 is an open space 29 in the seat width direction and the seat front-rear direction, and the occupant protection device 30 is provided on the upper and lower sides of the seat pan 24 via this space 29.

[0018] In other embodiments, bridge members other than the submarine bar 27 may be supported by a pair of side frames 22, 22. Alternatively, the submarine bar 27 may not be provided at all. In this case, the front end of the seat spring 25 may be connected to the rear end of the seat pan 24.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the occupant protection device 30 includes an inflatable and deployable airbag cushion 52 and an inflator 54 that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the internal space of the airbag cushion 52 in the event of a vehicle emergency. A vehicle emergency is, for example, a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0020] The inflator 54 is positioned below the seat pan 24 and is electrically connected to a vehicle-side ECU (not shown). For example, the inflator 54 receives a signal from the vehicle-side ECU detecting the impact during a frontal collision of the vehicle and activates, instantly supplying gas to the airbag cushion 52. Various types of inflators can be used for the inflator 54, such as those filled with a gas generating agent, compressed gas, or both. For example, the inflator 54 has an ignition device at the open end of a bottomed cylindrical body. This ignition device ignites the gas generating agent inside the cylinder, generating gas, which is then supplied to the airbag cushion 52 for inflation and deployment through multiple ejection holes on the circumferential surface of the cylinder.

[0021] The inflator 54 may be configured to activate at least twice in the event of a vehicle emergency, supplying inflation gas to the internal space of the airbag cushion 52 at least twice. In the case of such two (or more) activations, two (or more) inflators 54 may be used, or one inflator 54 may be equipped with two (or more) squibs.

[0022] The airbag cushion 52 is a bag that inflates and deploys upon receiving gas from the inflator 54. The airbag cushion 52 is formed by joining (e.g., sewing or bonding) one or more base fabrics, such as nonwoven fabric, at appropriate positions, or by weaving using OPW (One-Piece Woven). The airbag cushion 52 is provided folded in at least a portion. The folding configuration is arbitrary and can be, for example, accordion-like, roll-like, or a combination thereof, or it may be a configuration in which only a portion is folded.

[0023] In its folded state, the airbag cushion 52 has an inflator housing 61 and a main inflation section 62. The inflator housing 61 is located on the underside of the seat pan 24, and the main inflation section 62 is located on the upper side of the seat pan 24. In this folded state, the main inflation section 62 extends flat without being substantially folded, and the inflator housing 61 is located on the underside of the seat pan 24 by being folded downward from the main inflation section 62. The interior of the inflator housing 61 and the interior of the main inflation section 62 are in communication with each other.

[0024] The inflator housing 61 houses the inflator 54. The inflator housing 61 inflates and deploys upon receiving gas from the inflator 54. The inflator 54 is attached to the seat pan 24 on its underside. For example, if the bottomed cylindrical body described above is used as the inflator 54, the axial direction of the cylindrical body is aligned with the seat width direction and housed inside the inflator housing 61, positioned on the underside of the rear end of the seat pan 24. Stud bolts 54a protruding from the outer circumference of the cylindrical body are made to protrude to the outside of the inflator housing 61, and the seat pan 24 is inserted through them and fastened to the seat pan 24 with nuts (not shown). In this way, the occupant protection device 30 is mounted on the seat pan 24 by the stud bolts 54a and nuts. The airbag cushion 52 itself does not have any fastening points to the seat pan 24.

[0025] In other embodiments, the inflator 54 may be fastened together with the inflator housing 61 to the seat pan 24. That is, the mounting points for attaching the inflator 54 to the seat pan 24 may also serve as mounting points for attaching the airbag cushion 52 to the seat pan 24. In yet another embodiment, a support member 65 may be provided on the underside of the seat pan 24, and the inflator 54 may be attached to the support member 65, in which case it may be fastened together with the inflator housing 61. The support member 65 extends in the seat width direction so as to bridge a pair of side frames 22, 22.

[0026] The main inflation section 62 is positioned above the sheet pan 24, extending in the front-rear direction towards the rear of the sheet pan 24 and further back. For example, the front portion 62a of the main inflation section 62 is positioned above the rear of the sheet pan 24, and the rear portion 62b of the main inflation section 62 extends rearward beyond the submarine bar 27 and is positioned above the front end of the submarine bar 27 and the sheet spring 25. The front portion 62a and the rear portion 62b can constitute the front and rear parts of the main inflation section 62. The front portion 62a and the rear portion 62b each extend flat without being substantially folded. On the other hand, the lower part between the front portion 62a and the rear portion 62b is folded downward and protrudes into the space 29 between the submarine bar 27 and the rear end 24a of the sheet pan 24. This protruding portion forms the inflator housing 61.

[0027] The interior of the main expansion section 62 is in communication with the interior of the inflator housing section 61, and receives gas supply from the inflator 54. As a result, the main expansion section 62 expands and unfolds. However, since the inflator 54 is housed in the inflator housing section 61, the main expansion section 62 expands and unfolds only after the inflator housing section 61 has expanded and unfolded.

[0028] Figures 4 and 5 show the airbag cushion 52 in an inflated and deployed state. When the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, the inflator housing 61 inflates and deploys below the seat pan 24. At this time, the inflator housing 61 inflates and deploys below the seat pan 24 without contacting the lower surface of the seat pan 24. The inflator housing 61 does not act on the seat surface 26 of the seat cushion 2.

[0029] Meanwhile, the main expansion section 62 expands and unfolds above the seat pan 24. The expansion and unfolding of the main expansion section 62 as a whole occurs from the rear of the seat pan 24 toward the rear of the seat. The volume of the expanded main expansion section 62 is larger than the volume of the expanded inflator housing section 61. The expanded or expanding main expansion section 62 pushes up the seat surface 26 of the seat cushion 2.

[0030] The center position 52C of the inflated and deployed airbag cushion 52 is located rearward relative to the installation position 54C of the inflator 54. The center position 52C of the airbag cushion 52 is approximately the center position in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the inflated and deployed main inflation section 62, and is located approximately directly above the center position 27C of the submarine bar 27. The installation position 54C of the inflator 54 is located, for example, on the axis of the bottomed cylindrical body of the inflator 54.

[0031] Furthermore, even in its folded state before inflation and deployment, the center position 52C of the airbag cushion 52 is located behind the installation position 54C of the inflator 54 and approximately directly above the center position 27C of the submarine bar 27 (see Figure 3).

[0032] When the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, the airbag cushion 52 has a connecting portion 63 that connects the interiors of the inflator housing 61 and the main inflation portion 62, and is configured to penetrate the sheet pan 24 in the vertical direction. Here, the connecting portion 63 is configured to pass through the sheet pan 24 at the rear of the sheet pan 24. Specifically, the connecting portion 63 is positioned at the rear of the sheet pan 24 so as to wrap around the rear end of the sheet pan 24 and pass through the sheet pan 24. In this case, the connecting portion 63 penetrates (passes through) the sheet pan 24 in the vertical direction via the space 29. In addition, the connecting portion 63 connects the interior of the main inflation portion 62 and the interior of the inflator housing 61 at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction below the inflated main inflation portion 62.

[0033] Furthermore, "passing through the sheet pan 24" means that, in a cross-section of the sheet pan 24 in the front-rear direction, if the upper and lower surfaces of the sheet pan 24 are virtually extended behind the rear end of the sheet pan 24, the connecting portion 63 is provided so as to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of this extended portion in the vertical direction. In other words, in a cross-section of the frame of the vehicle seat 100 viewed from the side in the width direction of the vehicle seat 100, the connecting portion 63, which connects the inflator housing portion 61 located below the plate-shaped sheet pan 24 and the main expansion portion 62 located above the plate-shaped sheet pan 24, is provided so as to penetrate a virtual plane that is virtually extended from the rear end of the plate-shaped sheet pan 24 or the main plane constituting the plate-shaped sheet pan 24 in the direction in which the plane extends (the plane direction).

[0034] The connecting portion 63 is sandwiched between the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 and the submarine bar 27 in the space 29. As a result, the connecting portion 63 is fixed by the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 and the submarine bar 27, stabilizing the position of the inflated and deployed airbag cushion 52. In other words, the inflated and deployed airbag cushion 52 is positioned within the seat cushion 2 via the connecting portion 63, stabilizing the position of the main inflatable portion 62. Therefore, the upward pressure on the seat surface 26 of the seat cushion 2 by the main inflatable portion 62 is stabilized, improving the occupant restraint performance.

[0035] The arrangement and operation of the occupant protection device 30 for the occupant will now be described. The occupant protection device 30 is positioned so that the inflated main inflatable part 62 pushes up the area near the occupant's thighs, close to their buttocks. It is assumed that the occupant is seated in a normal posture on the seat cushion 2 and is wearing a seat belt (not shown).

[0036] In the event of a vehicle emergency, when the inflator 54 is activated, the airbag cushion 52 first inflates and deploys the inflator housing 61, and then the main inflator 62 inflates and deploys instantaneously. The main inflator 62 inflates and deploys diagonally upward and backward, pushing up the seat surface 26, thereby lifting the area near the occupant's thighs, close to their buttocks. This creates a force that causes the occupant's pelvis to rotate clockwise (backward flexion and rotation of the waist), and this action restrains the occupant's pelvis and waist. Specifically, because the occupant's spine is not pushed up, no phase difference occurs in the rib cage, and no strain is placed on the occupant's chest, while suppressing forward movement of the occupant's waist and preventing the submarining effect.

[0037] It should be noted that the main inflation section 62 of the airbag cushion 52 does not actively utilize the upper surface of the sheet pan 24 as a reaction surface to inflate and deploy. In the airbag cushion 52, the inflator housing section 61 is first supplied with gas and inflates and deploys on the underside of the sheet pan 24, and then the main inflation section 62 is instantly inflated and deploys as gas flows in from the inflator housing section 61. This gas flow from the inflator 54 and the inflation and deployment of the airbag cushion 52 reduce the load on the upper surface of the sheet pan 24 when the inflator 54 is operating, thereby suppressing large deformations of the sheet pan 24.

[0038] When the airbag cushion 52 is inflated and deployed, the load from the occupant acts on the main inflatable section 62. The lower surface of the inflated main inflatable section 62 is supported by the upper surface of the seat pan 24, etc., but at this time, the load from the occupant is also supported by the connecting section 63 sandwiched between the rear end of the seat pan 24 and the submarine bar 27, and the inflator housing section 61 which is inflated and deployed below it. This suppresses the occupant from sinking.

[0039] Figure 6 is a plan view of the airbag cushion 52 in a flat state before it is folded. Figure 6(a) shows the airbag cushion 52 in a flat state with a single base fabric 70 unfolded before it is formed into a bag. Figure 6(b) shows the state in which the constricted portion 75 of the base fabric 70 is folded downwards from the state in Figure 6(a). Figure 6(c) shows the state in which the first portion 71 of the base fabric 70 is folded over the second portion 72 and the third portion 73 of the base fabric 70 on the upper side, and the edges are sewn together to form a bag.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6(a), the base fabric 70 has, in order along its longitudinal direction, a second portion 72, a constricted portion 75, a third portion 73, and a first portion 71. The constricted portion 75 is formed in a substantially V-shape at both ends in the width direction toward the longitudinal centerline of the base fabric 70. Holes 76 are formed in the constricted portion 75 through which the stud bolts 54a of the inflator 54 are inserted, and the inflator 54 is positioned therein. In other words, the inflator housing portion 61 is formed in the constricted portion 75.

[0041] When manufacturing a bag from the base fabric 70 shown in Figure 6(a), first, as shown in Figure 6(b), the constricted portion 75 is folded downward at the boundary between the second portion 72 and the third portion 73, bringing the second portion 72 and the third portion 73 closer together. Next, as shown in Figure 6(c), the first portion 71 is folded upward at the boundary with the third portion 73, and then folded back so that it overlaps the second portion 72 and the third portion 73. After that, the edges of each portion are sewn together to define an air chamber (bag) inside.

[0042] In the completed bag, the position of each part relative to the sheet pan 24 is such that the constricted portion 75 is located below the sheet pan 24, and the other parts are located above the sheet pan 24. That is, the constricted portion 75 constitutes the inflator housing portion 61, and the first to third portions 71 to 73 constitute the main inflation portion 62. On the sheet pan 24, the first portion 71 constitutes the upper panel, and the second portion 72 and the third portion 73 constitute the lower panel. When the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, the constricted portion 75 expands and deploys to form the inflator housing portion 61 and the connecting portion 63.

[0043] In other embodiments, it is also possible not to form the constriction portion 75 on the base fabric 70. However, forming the constriction portion 75 can make the gas flow from the inflater 54 faster and increase the inflation and deployment speed of the inflater housing portion 61. Also, forming the constriction portion 75 makes it easier to dispose the inflater housing portion 61 below the seat pan 24 and can suppress interference with other members.

[0044] As described above, the occupant protection device 30 according to the embodiment includes an airbag cushion 52 and an inflater 54. The airbag cushion 52 is provided below the seat pan 24 in a folded state and has an inflater housing portion 61 that houses the inflater 54 and a main inflation portion 62 provided above the seat pan 24. When inflated and deployed, the inflater housing portion 61 inflates and deploys below the seat pan 第二十四, and the main inflation portion 62 inflates and deploys above the seat pan 24 to push up the seating surface 26 of the seat cushion 2. Also, a connecting portion 63 that allows the interiors of the inflater housing portion 61 and the main inflation portion 62 to communicate with each other is configured to penetrate the seat pan 24 in the vertical direction.

[0045] According to such a configuration, in the airbag cushion 52, first, the inflater housing portion 61 is supplied with gas and inflates and deploys below the seat pan 24. Then, immediately afterwards, the main inflation portion 62 is filled with gas flowing in from the inflater housing portion 61 and inflates and deploys above the seat pan 24 to push up the seating surface 26. As a result, since the main inflation portion 62 does not actively utilize the upper surface of the seat pan 24 as a reaction surface for inflation and deployment, the load on the seat pan 24 can be reduced. Therefore, large deformation of the seat pan 24 can be suppressed, contributing to an improvement in the waist restraint performance of the occupant. Also, since the inflater 54 is disposed below the seat pan 24 and housed in the inflater housing portion 61, the seat comfort of the seat cushion 2 can be maintained without being impaired.

[0046] In particular, in one aspect of the embodiment, the connecting portion 63 is disposed so as to pass between the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 and the submarine bar 27 (bridge member), and penetrates the seat pan 24 in the vertical direction. Since the connecting portion 63 is sandwiched and fixed between the two, the position of the main inflation portion 62 is stabilized.

[0047] The embodiments described above are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and are not for limiting and interpreting the present invention. Each element included in the embodiments, as well as its arrangement, material, conditions, shape, size, etc. are not limited to those illustrated and can be appropriately changed.

[0048] For example, without providing the submarine bar 27, the front ends of the plurality of seat springs 25 may be connected to the rear end portion of the seat pan 24. When the plurality of seat springs 25 extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged side by side in the seat width direction, the connecting portion 63 may be disposed so as to pass between the plurality of seat springs 25 and the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24, and penetrate the seat pan 24 in the vertical direction. In this case, the connecting portion 63 may penetrate the seat pan 24 in the vertical direction between the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 and between two adjacent seat springs among the plurality of seat springs 25.

[0049] Also, the base fabric 70 of the airbag cushion 52 may be composed of a plurality of sheets having different properties instead of one sheet. For example, the constricted portion 75 may be formed using a high-strength material compared to the first portion 71. Similarly, the second portion 72 and the third portion 73 may be formed using a high-strength material compared to the first portion 71. By doing so, when inflated and deployed, it is possible to protect the portions that may come into contact with the rear end 24a of the seat pan 24 or the submarine bar 27.

[0050] Subsequently, other embodiments will be described. Regarding other embodiments, the description will focus on the differences from the above-described embodiments, and the same or similar reference numerals will be given to the configurations common to the above-described embodiments and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] [Embodiment 2] In Embodiment 1, a configuration was described in which, when the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, the connecting portion 63 passes through the seat pan 24 at the rear portion of the seat pan 24. In Embodiment 2, a configuration is described in which, when the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, the connecting portion 63 penetrates (passes through) the seat pan 240 in the vertical direction at the rear end portion 240b of the seat pan 240.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7, an opening 80 is formed at the rear end 240b of the sheet pan 240. The position of the opening 80 in the front-rear direction is, for example, the same as the position of the space 29 in Embodiment 1. For example, the opening 80 is formed near the rear end 240b of the sheet pan 240. The opening 80 extends in the width direction of the sheet pan 240. In other embodiments, the opening 80 may be located in the center in the width direction of the sheet pan 240. The front end of the sheet spring 25 is connected to the rear end of the sheet pan 240 at a position away from the opening 80.

[0053] When the airbag cushion 52 inflates and deploys, similar to Embodiment 1, the inflator housing 61 is first supplied with gas and inflates and deploys below the sheet pan 240, and then the main inflation section 62 is instantly supplied with gas from the inflator housing 61 and inflates and deploys above the sheet pan 24. At this time, the connecting section 63 is configured to pass through the opening 80 of the sheet pan 240. The connecting section 63 is fixed by being sandwiched between the opening edge that defines the opening 80, and contributes to the stabilization of the position of the main inflation section 62.

[0054] Thus, the second embodiment also suppresses large deformation of the seat pan 240 and contributes to improving the occupant's lumbar restraint performance.

[0055] <Additional considerations regarding various embodiments>

[0056] [Embodiment 1] An occupant protection device provided inside or below the seat cushion of a vehicle seat, comprising: a foldable and inflatable airbag cushion; and an inflator that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the internal space of the airbag cushion in the event of a vehicle emergency, wherein the inflator is positioned below a seat pan located below at least the front portion of the seat cushion, and the airbag cushion, in its folded state, has an inflator housing portion provided below the seat pan for housing the inflator, and a main inflation portion provided above the seat pan, wherein when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, the inflator housing portion inflates and deploys below the seat pan, and the main inflation portion inflates and deploys above the seat pan to push up the seat surface of the seat cushion, and a connecting portion that connects the interiors of the inflator housing portion and the main inflation portion is configured to penetrate the seat pan in the vertical direction. For example, the connecting portion is configured to penetrate the seat pan in the vertical direction at the rear end or rear portion of the seat pan.

[0057] [Embodiment 2] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 1, wherein the connecting portion is positioned at the rear of the sheet pan so as to wrap around the rear end of the sheet pan. Alternatively, the connecting portion passes through the sheet pan so as to wrap around the rear end of the sheet pan.

[0058] [Embodiment 3] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the connecting portion is arranged to pass between the rear end of the sheet pan and a bridge member positioned behind the rear end and extending in the sheet width direction. Alternatively, the connecting portion passes through the sheet pan between the rear end of the sheet pan and the bridge member.

[0059] [Embodiment 4] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 3, wherein a part of the main inflation section is provided on the upper side of the bridge member when the airbag cushion is folded.

[0060] [Embodiment 5] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 3 or 4, wherein the rear of the main inflatable section is provided behind the bridge member when the airbag cushion is folded.

[0061] [Embodiment 6] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 3, 4, or 5, wherein the bridge member is a submarine bar.

[0062] [Embodiment 7] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 2, wherein a plurality of seat springs arranged in the seat cushion are connected to the rear end of the seat pan, and the connecting portion is arranged to pass through the plurality of seat springs and the rear end of the seat pan. Alternatively, the connecting portion passes through the seat pan between the plurality of seat springs and the rear end of the seat pan.

[0063] [Embodiment 8] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 1, wherein the connecting portion is configured to pass through an opening formed near the rear end of the sheet pan.

[0064] [Embodiment 9] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 8, wherein the opening extends in the width direction of the sheet pan.

[0065] [Embodiment 10] The occupant protection device of Embodiment 8, wherein the opening is located in the center of the width direction of the sheet pan.

[0066] [Embodiment 11] An occupant protection device according to any of embodiments 8 to 10, wherein a seat spring, which is located inside the seat cushion, is connected to the rear end of the seat pan at a position away from the opening.

[0067] [Embodiment 12] An occupant protection device according to any of Embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the airbag cushion has a constricted portion relative to its width when laid flat before being folded, and the inflator housing or the connecting portion is formed in the constricted portion. Note that this "or" does not mathematically mean one or the other (a choice between two), but rather is a concept that includes "and" (both). Therefore, the inflator housing and the connecting portion can be formed in the constricted portion.

[0068] [Embodiment 13] An occupant protection device according to any of Embodiments 1 to 12, wherein when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, the connecting portion communicates the inside of the main inflation portion and the inside of the inflator housing portion at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction below the inflated and deployed main inflation portion.

[0069] [Embodiment 14] An occupant protection device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the inflator housing is configured to inflate and deploy on the underside of the seat pan in a non-contact manner when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed.

[0070] [Embodiment 15] An occupant protection device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein, when the airbag cushion is folded, the main inflation portion extends flat without being substantially folded, and the inflator housing portion is provided below the seat pan by being folded downward from the main inflation portion.

[0071] 1...Seat back, 2...Seat cushion, 3...Headrest, 4...Reclining mechanism, 10...Back frame, 20...Seating frame, 22...Side frame, 24, 240...Seat pan, 24a...Rear end, 25...Seat spring, 26...Seat surface, 27...Submarine bar (bridge member), 28...Connecting bar, 29...Space, 30...Occupant protection device, 52...Airbag cushion, 54...Inflator, 54a...Stud bolt, 61...Inflator housing, 62...Main inflation part, 62a...All, 62b...Rear part, 63...Connecting part, 65...Support member, 70...Base fabric, 71...First part, 72...Second part, 73...Third part, 75...Narrow part, 76...Hole, 100...Vehicle seat, 240b...Rear end

Claims

1. An occupant protection device provided inside or below the seat cushion of a vehicle seat, comprising: a foldable and inflatable airbag cushion; and an inflator that supplies gas for inflation and deployment to the internal space of the airbag cushion in the event of a vehicle emergency, wherein the inflator is positioned below a seat pan located below at least the front portion of the seat cushion; the airbag cushion, in its folded state, has an inflator housing section provided below the seat pan for housing the inflator; and a main inflation section provided above the seat pan; and when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, the inflator housing section inflates and deploys below the seat pan, and the main inflation section inflates and deploys above the seat pan to push up the seat surface of the seat cushion; and a connecting section that connects the interiors of the inflator housing section and the main inflation section is configured to penetrate the seat pan in the vertical direction.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is arranged at the rear of the sheet pan so as to wrap around the rear end of the sheet pan.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is arranged to pass between the rear end of the seat pan and a bridge member that is positioned behind the rear end and extends in the seat width direction.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the main inflatable section is provided on the upper side of the bridge member when the airbag cushion is folded.

5. The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein the rear of the main inflatable section is provided behind the bridge member when the airbag cushion is folded.

6. The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein the bridge member is a submarine bar.

7. The occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of seat springs arranged within the seat cushion are connected to the rear end of the seat pan, and the connecting portion is arranged to pass between the plurality of seat springs and the rear end of the seat pan.

8. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is configured to pass through an opening formed near the rear end of the sheet pan.

9. The occupant protection device according to claim 8, wherein the opening extends in the width direction of the seat pan.

10. The occupant protection device according to claim 8, wherein the opening is located in the center of the width direction of the sheet pan.

11. The occupant protection device according to claim 8, wherein a seat spring, which is located inside the seat cushion, is connected to the rear end of the seat pan at a position away from the opening.

12. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the airbag cushion has a constricted portion relative to the width of the airbag cushion when laid flat before being folded, and the inflator housing portion or the connecting portion is formed in the constricted portion.

13. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed, the connecting portion communicates the inside of the main inflation portion and the inside of the inflator housing portion at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction below the inflated and deployed main inflation portion.

14. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the inflator housing is configured to inflate and deploy on the underside of the seat pan in a non-contact manner when the airbag cushion is inflated and deployed.

15. The occupant protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, when the airbag cushion is folded, the main inflation portion extends flat without being substantially folded, and the inflator housing portion is provided below the seat pan by being folded downward from the main inflation portion.

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