Passenger protection apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technology of a passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an inflator mounted on a seat cushion of a seat provided in a vehicle, and generating gas when a vehicle collision occurs; a pelvic restraint cushion receiving the gas from the inflator, expanding and deploying toward the buttocks of a passenger, and suppressing movement of the passenger in a collision direction, thereby restraining the passenger; and a fixing means securing a rear side portion of the pelvic restraint cushion to a frame of the seat. Accordingly, when a vehicle collision occurs, the pelvic restraint cushion is expanded and deployed to entirely push the thigh and pelvic portions of the passenger upward to effectively suppress a submarine phenomenon, and front and rear ends of the pelvic restraint cushion are secured to the seat frame to prevent movement of the pelvic restraint cushion caused by the passenger's motion, thereby effectively controlling a deployment position and shape during expansion and deployment, and preventing damage to the pelvic restraint cushion.

Description

Passenger protection devices in automobiles

[0001] The present invention relates to a passenger protection device for an automobile, and more specifically, to a passenger protection device for an automobile that protects a passenger by preventing submersion by suppressing the movement of the passenger's pelvic area during a collision.

[0002] Generally, automobiles are equipped with seatbelt and airbag systems to ensure passenger safety.

[0003] The above seat belt device consists of a seat belt retractor that operates to wind or pull out a belt-shaped seat belt webbing (referred to as a belt that secures the occupant) onto a spool, and a buckle into which a tongue fixed to one end of the seat belt webbing is detachably inserted.

[0004] These seat belt devices generally consist of a three-point seat belt combined with a shoulder belt for shoulder restraint and a wrap belt for waist restraint.

[0005] The above airbag device is installed on the steering wheel, dashboard, seat, side wall, etc., provided in the vehicle, and inflates toward the front or side of the occupant upon a collision to protect the occupant. That is, the vehicle may be equipped with a front airbag that deploys from the front of the driver's seat and passenger seat, curtain airbags and side airbags that deploy from the direction in which a side collision occurs (hereinafter referred to as the "collision side") to protect the occupant, and a knee airbag to protect the occupant's knee.

[0006] The applicant has disclosed seatbelt device and airbag device technologies in a number of documents, including Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below, and has filed and registered patents.

[0007] Meanwhile, in the event of a vehicle collision, particularly a head-on collision, passengers move forward due to inertia at the moment of impact; at this time, the shoulder belt and lap belt of the seatbelt system restrain the passenger's chest and abdomen, respectively, to block the passenger's forward movement.

[0008] However, depending on the passenger's posture, particularly when the passenger is reclined with the seatback rotated backward, the passenger's buttocks tend to slide under the lap belt. This phenomenon is generally referred to as the "submarine" effect.

[0009] In the event of such a submarine phenomenon, passengers may be rapidly propelled forward and collide with the vehicle body, potentially causing serious bodily injuries, particularly to the abdomen.

[0010] In particular, autonomous vehicles that move on their own without a driver operating the vehicle are being developed recently.

[0011] The above-mentioned autonomous vehicle uses advanced sensors capable of recognizing surrounding objects and a high-performance graphics processing unit to detect each device installed in the vehicle and the situation around the vehicle, and drives by controlling the operation of each device installed in the vehicle according to the detection results.

[0012] As autonomous vehicles configured in this way eliminate the need for a driver to operate, the entire seat, including the driver's seat, can freely rotate not only forward and backward but also left and right, and the angle of the backrest can be adjusted to a horizontal position by tilting. Therefore, passengers can adjust the angle of the backrest in various ways and can even hold a meeting facing the passenger in the back seat by rotating the seat.

[0013] Therefore, in autonomous vehicles, there is a concern that the aforementioned submarine phenomenon may be further exacerbated depending on the passenger's posture.

[0014] To resolve these problems, the applicant has filed a patent application by disclosing the configuration of a passenger protection device that prevents the submarine phenomenon of passengers in the following patent document 3, etc.

[0015] Patent Document 3 describes a configuration in which a pelvic limiting cushion is installed on the seat plate of a seat, and when a collision occurs, the pelvic limiting cushion is expanded and deployed to push the passenger's body, particularly the thighs and pelvis, upward as a whole, thereby effectively suppressing the submarine phenomenon in which the passenger's buttocks located on the seat plate move toward the collision side by sliding and pass under the lap belt of the seat belt device.

[0016] However, passenger protection devices that prevent the submarine phenomenon according to conventional technology had problems in that the pelvic restriction cushion was not fixed to the seat, causing damage to the cushion during passenger movement and unstable movement when the pelvic restriction cushion was inflated and deployed.

[0017] (Patent Document 1) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1758804 (Published July 18, 2017)

[0018] (Patent Document 2) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1766834 (Published August 23, 2017)

[0019] (Patent Document 3) Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2024-0158051 (Published November 4, 2024)

[0020]

[0021] The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by providing a passenger protection device for an automobile that can safely protect passengers by suppressing the submarine of passengers in the event of a collision.

[0022] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a passenger protection device for an automobile that can prevent damage to the pelvic restriction cushion caused by passenger movement by fixing one side of the pelvic restriction cushion to the seat.

[0023] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a passenger protection device for an automobile that can stably control movement during the expansion and deployment of a pelvic restriction cushion.

[0024] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the passenger protection device of an automobile according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: an inflator that generates gas when a collision occurs in the automobile and is mounted on the seat plate of a seat provided in the automobile; a pelvic restraint cushion that receives gas from the inflator and expands toward the buttocks of the passenger to restrain the passenger by suppressing movement toward the direction of the collision; and a fixing means for fixing the rear portion of the pelvic restraint cushion to the frame of the seat.

[0025] As described above, according to the passenger protection device of the automobile according to the present invention, a pelvic limiting cushion is installed inside the seat, and when a collision occurs, the pelvic limiting cushion is inflated and deployed to push the passenger's body, particularly the thighs and pelvic area, upward as a whole. This effect is obtained.

[0026] Therefore, according to the present invention, by effectively suppressing the submarine phenomenon in which the buttocks of a passenger positioned on the seat plate move toward the collision side due to sliding and pass under the lap belt of the seat belt device, the effect of securely restraining the passenger to the seat and safely protecting them is obtained.

[0027] In addition, according to the present invention, the front and rear ends of the pelvic limiting cushion are each fixed to the seat frame to prevent movement of the pelvic limiting cushion caused by passenger movement, thereby effectively controlling the deployment position and shape during expansion.

[0028] In addition, according to the present invention, the effect of preventing damage to the pelvic restriction cushion caused by friction or snagging with surrounding parts or structures is obtained as the pelvic restriction cushion moves due to the movement of the passenger.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a state in which a passenger protection device of an automobile according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed on a seat.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the passenger protection device shown in FIG. 1,

[0031] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating the expanded expansion state of a pelvic restriction cushion according to the prior art.

[0032] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the fixing means shown in FIG. 2,

[0033] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating the expansion development state of a pelvic restriction cushion applied to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0034] A passenger protection device for an automobile according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0035]

[0036] The following describes the configuration of a passenger protection device for a vehicle applied to the driver's seat, but it should be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto and can be modified to be applied not only to the driver's seat but also to the passenger seat, or to the second or third row, etc., depending on the configuration of the vehicle.

[0037] Furthermore, the present invention does not restrict only the forward movement of a passenger during a frontal collision, but can also restrict lateral or rearward movement of the passenger during a lateral or rearward collision depending on the passenger's seating direction. In other words, it should be noted that the present invention can effectively restrain the passenger to the seat by preventing the passenger's pelvic area from sliding out of the seat.

[0038] Furthermore, hereinafter, the direction facing the front of the vehicle centered on the driver's seat is referred to as 'Front (F),' and the direction facing the rear of the vehicle is referred to as 'Rear (B).' In addition, terms indicating directions such as 'Left (L),' 'Right (R),' 'Up (U),' and 'Down (D)' are defined as indicating the respective directions based on the aforementioned Front and Rear.

[0039] Additionally, hereinafter, the direction facing the occupant from the outside of the vehicle is referred to as the 'inside,' and the opposite direction is referred to as the 'outside.'

[0040] Therefore, the front and rear (F, B) directions, left and right (L, R) directions, and inner (I) and outer (O) directions of the vehicle can each be expressed as horizontal directions, and the up and down (U, D) directions of the vehicle can be expressed as vertical directions.

[0041]

[0042] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a passenger protection device of a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed on a seat, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the passenger protection device shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] A passenger protection device (10) for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a seat (11) provided in a vehicle as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and includes an inflator (20) that generates gas when a collision occurs in the vehicle, and a pelvis restraint cushion (PRC) (hereinafter referred to as 'cushion') (30) that receives gas from the inflator (20), expands and unfolds toward the buttocks of the passenger, and restrains the passenger by suppressing movement toward the direction of the collision of the passenger.

[0044] The inflator (20) can be mounted on the seat plate (12) or frame (14) that constitutes the seat (11).

[0045] That is, the seat (11) may include a seat plate (12) on which a frame (14) is installed on the upper part, and a backrest (13) connected to the rear end of the seat plate (12) so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions.

[0046] In this embodiment, the seat (11) may be a seat applicable to an autonomous vehicle, in which the seat plate (12) can be rotated 180° to the left and right to rotate toward the side or rear of the vehicle, and the backrest (13) can be rotated backward up to 90° so that the passenger can assume a nearly lying position.

[0047] Of course, it should be noted that the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto and can also be applied to general automobile seats in which rotation in the left and right directions is impossible and the angle of rotation backward is limited to a certain angle.

[0048] The frame (14) can be formed in the shape of a roughly square frame with an open top and bottom surface.

[0049] For example, the frame (14) may include a support member (15) positioned at the front of the internal space, a pair of side frames (16) positioned on both sides, and a rear frame (17) positioned at the rear.

[0050] And the inflator (20) can be installed along the left and right directions of the vehicle on a support member (15) whose cross-section is formed in a roughly 'U' shape when viewed from above.

[0051] The inflator (20) can be firmly fixed to the support member (15) by a pair of stud bolts (21) with a portion inserted into the front side of the cushion (30).

[0052] Of course, the present invention may be modified as needed so that the inflator (20) is positioned along the front-rear direction on the left or right side of the frame (14), or positioned along the rear-left direction on the rear side of the frame (14).

[0053] The cushion (30) can be manufactured by cutting or sewing a fabric material into a suitable shape, similar to a standard airbag cushion.

[0054] For example, the cushion (30) is formed in a roughly square shape when viewed from above, and can be formed into a back shape by sewing together the edges of an upper panel facing the passenger's buttocks and a lower panel facing in the opposite direction of the upper panel, that is, the lower seat plate (12).

[0055] Of course, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and the cushion (30) can be manufactured in various ways, such as by placing a single fabric sheet overlapping each other to correspond to the shape of the upper and lower panels, and then sewing only the edges of the parts that come into contact with each other.

[0056] And in the center of the cushion (30), a through hole (31) is formed to avoid interference with the ventilation device (40) installed on the seat (11).

[0057] That is, a ventilation device (40) for ventilation and cooling of the seat (11) is placed in the internal space of the frame (14) of the seat (11) approximately in the center.

[0058] Therefore, the through hole (31) provides a space for the ventilation device (40) to be installed and can function to deliver air discharged from the ventilation device (40) to the upper part of the seat plate (12), that is, to the buttocks of the passenger.

[0059] The area around the through hole (31) in the cushion (30) can be firmly joined to each other by one or more seams sewing the upper panel and the lower panel together.

[0060] The shape and size of these through holes (31) can be varied depending on the shape and size of the ventilation device (40).

[0061] For example, the through hole (31) can be formed in a roughly circular shape when viewed from above.

[0062] Of course, the through hole (31) can be formed in various shapes, such as an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape, in addition to a circular shape.

[0063] This cushion (30) is formed with the front, rear, left, and right sides connected to each other around the through hole (31) formed in the center, and can be expanded and unfolded into a shape corresponding to the buttocks and thighs of the passenger.

[0064] That is, when gas is supplied from the inflator (20) into the cushion (30), each side of the cushion (30) expands and can push the passenger's thighs and buttocks upward as a whole. Here, in order to effectively limit the passenger's submarine phenomenon, the amount of upward movement by the cushion (30) can be set differently depending on the part of the passenger's body in contact with the cushion (30).

[0065] That is, when the cushion (30) expands, the expansion height of the front and rear parts of the cushion (30) can be set to vary depending on the area to be protected.

[0066] Meanwhile, FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating the expanded state of a pelvic limiting cushion according to the prior art, FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the fixing means shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating the expanded state of a pelvic limiting cushion applied to the present invention shown in FIG. 2.

[0067] The front side of the cushion (30) is fixed to the frame by an inflator (20) inserted inside and a stud bolt (21), so that it can maintain a constant position at all times.

[0068] On the other hand, the rear portion of the pelvic limiting cushion (30) according to the prior art is not subjected to a separate fixed structure as shown in FIG. 3, so it can move in various directions such as forward, backward, left, and right due to the movement of the seated passenger.

[0069] Due to the flow of such cushion (30), it may be difficult to control the deployment position and direction of the expanded cushion (30) to an optimal state for passenger protection.

[0070] In addition, as the cushion (30) moves due to the movement of the passenger, the cushion (30) may be damaged due to friction or snagging with surrounding parts or structures.

[0071] To resolve these problems, in this embodiment, a fixing means is applied to fix the rear end of the cushion (30) to the rear side of the frame (14).

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the above fixing means may include a pair of strips (32) extending from the rear end of the cushion (30) and a fixing hook (19) formed on the rear side of the frame (14) and hooked onto the rear end of the pair of strips (32) to fix the pair of strips (32) and the rear end of the cushion.

[0073] Each strip (32) is manufactured in the shape of a strip by extending a fabric material, such as a tether applied to a general airbag cushion, and can be provided with a length corresponding to the distance between the rear end of the cushion (30) and the fixing hook (19).

[0074] For example, the front end of each strip (32) is connected to the rear end of the cushion (30) by sewing, and a hook hole (33) can be formed in the rear end of each strip (32) by inserting a fixing hook (19) to hang.

[0075] Each fixed hook (19) may be provided on the rear frame (17) of the frame (14) or on a bracket (18) that supports surrounding parts or structures, such as a cushion or ventilation device (40) applied to the seat (11).

[0076] Each fixed hook (19) is formed to extend upward from the rear frame (17), and a protruding projection may be formed on the rear side of each fixed hook (19) to prevent the fixed hook (19) from being separated from the hook hole (33) by vibration or impact while inserted into the hook hole (33) of each strip (32).

[0077] In this embodiment, it has been described that a strip and a fixing hook are each provided as a pair, but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and depending on the specifications of the cushion, such as size and width, the number of strips and fixing hooks may be changed to one or three or more.

[0078] Therefore, in this embodiment, by using the above fixing means to fix the rear end of the cushion (30) to the rear side of the frame (14), the movement of the cushion (30) caused by the movement of the passenger is prevented, thereby preventing the cushion from being damaged by friction or snagging with surrounding parts or structures.

[0079] In addition, in this embodiment, when the cushion (30) is expanded, the front and rear ends of the cushion (30) are fixed to the frame (14) of the seat (11) using the inflator (20) and the fixing means, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5, thereby effectively controlling the expansion position and shape of the cushion (30).

[0080] In this way, the present invention installs a pelvic limiting cushion inside the seat and, upon the occurrence of a collision, inflates and deploys the pelvic limiting cushion to push the passenger's body, particularly the thighs and pelvis, upward as a whole.

[0081] Therefore, the present invention effectively suppresses the submarine phenomenon in which the buttocks of a passenger positioned on the seat plate move toward the collision side due to sliding and pass under the lap belt of the seat belt device, thereby securely restraining the passenger to the seat and protecting them safely.

[0082] In addition, the present invention fixes the front and rear ends of the pelvic restriction cushion to the frame, respectively, thereby preventing movement of the pelvic restriction cushion due to passenger movement and effectively controlling the deployment position and shape during expansion.

[0083] In addition, the present invention can prevent damage to the pelvic restriction cushion caused by friction or snagging with surrounding parts or structures as the pelvic restriction cushion moves due to the movement of the passenger.

[0084]

[0085] Next, the coupling relationship and operation method of a passenger protection device for an automobile according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0086] First, the worker manufactures the cushion (30) into a back shape by sewing the edges of the upper and lower panels together. At this time, a through hole (31) is formed in the center of the cushion (30) to which a ventilation device (40) is placed, and the area around the through hole (31) of the upper and lower panels is also sewn and connected. Then, the through hole (31) formed in the center of the cushion (30) provides a space for the ventilation device (40) to be installed in each seat (11).

[0087] Then, the worker sews a pair of strips (32) to the rear end of the cushion (30) to extend it to the rear.

[0088] Here, part or all of the inflator (20) can be inserted into the front part of the cushion (30).

[0089] Next, the worker places a frame (14) on the upper part of the seat plate (12) of the seat (11) and mounts a cushion (30) and an inflator (20) on the frame (14).

[0090] At this time, the front end of the cushion (30) is fixed to a support member (15) positioned on the front side of the frame (14) by a pair of stud bolts (21) installed on the inflator (21).

[0091] And the rear end of the cushion (30) is fixed by hooking a pair of strips (32) onto a pair of fixing hooks (19) formed on a rear frame (17) or bracket (18) positioned on the rear side of the frame (14).

[0092] Meanwhile, when a collision occurs while the vehicle is in motion, the inflator (20) ignites the gunpowder according to the collision detection signal to generate gas.

[0093] Then, the cushion (30) is supplied with gas generated from the inflator (20) and expands. At this time, the cushion (30) expands while pushing the body parts of the passenger placed on the upper part, namely the thighs and pelvis, upwards as a whole.

[0094] Therefore, as the passenger's thighs and pelvic area are pushed upward, the passenger's abdomen is effectively restrained by the wrap belt.

[0095] In this way, the present invention can effectively suppress the submarine phenomenon in which the buttocks of a passenger positioned on a seat slide under the lap belt by using a passenger protection device.

[0096] Here, the front side of the expanding cushion is fixed to the frame by an inflator and stud bolts, and the rear side of the cushion is fixed to the frame by a fixing means, namely a pair of strips and fixing hooks.

[0097] Through the process described above, the present invention installs a pelvic restriction cushion inside the seat and, in the event of a collision, inflates and deploys the pelvic restriction cushion to push the passenger's body, particularly the thighs and pelvis, upward as a whole.

[0098] Therefore, the present invention effectively suppresses the submarine phenomenon in which the buttocks of a passenger positioned on the seat plate move toward the collision side due to sliding and pass under the lap belt of the seat belt device, thereby securely restraining the passenger to the seat and protecting them safely.

[0099] In addition, the present invention fixes the front and rear ends of the pelvic restriction cushion to the seat frame, respectively, thereby preventing movement of the pelvic restriction cushion due to passenger movement and effectively controlling the deployment position and shape during expansion.

[0100] In addition, the present invention can prevent damage to the pelvic restriction cushion caused by friction or snagging with surrounding parts or structures as the pelvic restriction cushion moves due to the movement of the passenger.

[0101] Although the invention made by the inventors has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof.

[0102] The present invention is applied to a passenger protection device technology for automobiles that installs a pelvic limiting cushion inside a seat, inflates and deploys the pelvic limiting cushion upon a collision to push the passenger's thighs and pelvic area upward as a whole to effectively suppress the submarine effect, and fixes the front and rear ends of the pelvic limiting cushion to the seat frame respectively to prevent movement of the pelvic limiting cushion due to passenger movement, thereby effectively controlling the deployment position and shape during inflation and preventing damage to the pelvic limiting cushion.

Claims

1. An inflator mounted on the seat plate of a vehicle and generating gas in the event of a collision, A pelvic restraint cushion that receives gas from the above-mentioned inflator, expands and deploys toward the passenger's buttocks to inhibit movement toward the passenger's collision direction, thereby restraining the passenger, and A passenger protection device for an automobile characterized by including a fixing means for fixing the rear portion of the above-mentioned pelvic limiting cushion to the frame of the seat.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above fixing means comprises a strip extending from the posterior side of the pelvic limiting cushion, and A passenger protection device for an automobile characterized by including a fixing hook provided on the rear side of the above-mentioned frame.

3. In Paragraph 2, A passenger protection device for an automobile, characterized in that the above-mentioned fixed hook is provided on a bracket that supports a rear frame or surrounding parts or structures provided on the rear side of the frame of the seat.

4. In Paragraph 2, A passenger protection device for an automobile, characterized in that the above strip and fixing hook are each provided in one or multiple numbers according to the specifications of the above pelvic limiting cushion.

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, A ventilation device is installed at the lower part of the above-mentioned pelvic restriction cushion, and A passenger protection device for an automobile, characterized in that a through hole is formed in the central part of the pelvic restriction cushion to transmit air provided by the ventilation device to the upper part of the seat plate.

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