Occupant protection device

• US 10,589,706 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Isamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanaman, Frank B
• Application Number:
  US15/850,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20180272981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

An occupant protection device including a three-point seat belt, a waist air bag, and an anterior air bag. The three-point seat belt restrains an occupant seated in a seat of an automobile. The waist air bag is provided on the seat belt and deployable in front of a waist of the occupant. The anterior air bag is deployable on a front side of the waist air bag in such a manner that a load of a collapsing upper body of the occupant seated in the seat acts on the anterior air bag. The waist air bag is deployable so as to be stiffer than the deployed anterior air bag, in such a manner that the waist air bag is pushed towards the waist by the anterior air bag deformed by the load of the collapsing upper body acting on the anterior air bag.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device comprising:

a three-point seat belt configured to restrain an occupant seated in a seat of a vehicle;

a waist air bag provided on the seat belt, the waist air bag being deployable in front of a waist of the occupant; and

an anterior air bag deployable on a front side of the waist air bag in such a manner that a load of a collapsing upper body of the occupant seated in the seat acts on the anterior air bag as to deform the anterior air bag,

wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to be stiffer than the anterior air bag that has been deployed, and such that the waist air bag is pushed by the deforming anterior air bag in a direction that directs the waist air bag toward the waist of the occupant seated in the seat.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is fixed to a lap portion of the seat belt at a center portion of the lap portion and deployable between the lap portion of the seat belt and the waist of the occupant.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to be larger than the waist air bag that has been deployed, the anterior air bag being deployable to push the waist air bag rearward by becoming compressed in an up-down direction at a portion in front of the waist air bag with the load of the collapsing upper body acting on the anterior air bag.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

5. The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

6. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is fixed to a lap portion of the seat belt at a center portion of the lap portion and deployable in such a manner that both end portions thereof in a left-right direction are curved so as to protrude rearward.

7. The occupant protection device according to claim 6, wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to be larger than the waist air bag that has been deployed, the anterior air bag being deployable to push the waist air bag rearward by becoming compressed in an up-down direction at a portion in front of the waist air bag with the load of the collapsing upper body acting on the anterior air bag.

8. The occupant protection device according to claim 6, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

9. The occupant protection device according to claim 7, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

10. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is divided in a left-right direction and is fixed to a lap portion of the seat belt, the waist air bag being deployable between the lap portion of the seat belt and both end portions of the waist of the occupant.

11. The occupant protection device according to claim 10, wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to be larger than the waist air bag that has been deployed, the anterior air bag being deployable to push the waist air bag rearward by becoming compressed in an up-down direction at a portion in front of the waist air bag with the load of the collapsing upper body acting on the anterior air bag.

12. The occupant protection device according to claim 10, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

13. The occupant protection device according to claim 11, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

14. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to be larger than the waist air bag that has been deployed, the anterior air bag being deployable to push the waist air bag rearward by becoming compressed in an up-down direction at a portion in front of the waist air bag with the load of the collapsing upper body acting on the anterior air bag.

15. The occupant protection device according to claim 14, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

16. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that extends out relative to respective side edges of the seat such that, when deployed, the waist air bag is configured to present an abutment surface to a full left-right width of the waist of the occupant seated in the seat, and wherein the anterior air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width that is larger than a left-right width of the waist air bag.

17. The occupant protection device according to claim 16, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width equivalent to the left-right width of the seat.

18. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a left-right width equivalent to the left-right width of the seat.

19. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the waist air bag is deployable so as to have a curvature with a concavity of the waist air bag facing the occupant of the seat.

20. An occupant protection system, comprising:

the occupation protection device according to claim 1; and

a front air bag that, upon deployment, is configured to extend rearward into contact with the deforming anterior air bag.