Occupant protection device

• US 20050189749A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Itaoga, Yasuo, Yoshikawa, Hiromichi, Kumagai, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• 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 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

An occupant protection device is provided which protects an occupant by inflating a seat bag and a lap bag. When a vehicle collision is detected, gas generators are activated and discharge gas. The gas from one of the gas generators inflates a tube. As a result, a front portion of a cushion pad of a seat cushion is pushed upward or hardened and the hips of the occupant are prevented from moving forward. A lap bag also inflates and restrains the hips of the occupant. In one form, a lap anchor inflates so that pretension is applied to a lap portion and the hips of the occupant are pushed downward. Therefore, the thighs and hips of the occupant are pushed between the lap portion and the front portion of the cushion pad which is pushed upward or hardened and are strongly restrained in the seat.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device comprising:

a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and belt webbing for restraining an occupant in the seat;

a seat airbag disposed below the seat cushion;

a tongue that generally divides the belt webbing into lap and shoulder portions;

a lap belt airbag disposed along the belt lap portion;

first and second gas generators that are distinct from each other with one of the first and second gas generators operable to inflate the seat airbag and the other of the first and second gas generators operable to inflate the lap belt airbag.

2. The occupant protection system of claim 1 including a buckle for mounting with the tongue to form a releasable connection therebetween, and

gas flow paths between the generators and airbags separate from the buckle and tongue connection.

3. The occupant protection system of claim 1 including a lower anchor to which the belt webbing is anchored, and the gas generator for the lap belt is adjacent the lower anchor.

4. The occupant protection system of claim 3 wherein the lower anchor is disposed on one side of the vehicle seat, and

a buckle disposed on an opposite side of the vehicle seat for mounting with the tongue.

5. The occupant protection system of claim 3 wherein the lower anchor comprises an attachment member and a lap anchor connected to the belt lap portion with the gas generator for the lap belt airbag and the lap anchor being mounted to the attachment member.

6. The occupant protection system of claim 5 wherein the attachment member is pivotally mounted to allow the lap anchor and the lap belt airbag gas generator to pivot together as the attachment member pivots.

7. The occupant protection system of claim 3 wherein the lower anchor includes a pretensioner.

8. The occupant protection system of claim 5 wherein the lower anchor includes a pretensioner mounted to the attachment member.

9. The occupant protection system of claim 1 including anchor locations for the belt webbing on either side of the seat with the first and second gas generators being on either side of the seat adjacent to or at the anchor locations.

10. An occupant protection device for a vehicle seat having a seat cushion, the occupant protection device comprising:

seat belt webbing;

a buckle and tongue that have a releasable connection therebetween so that with the buckle and tongue in a releasably connected condition the belt webbing restrains an occupant on the seat;

a seat airbag for being inflated to push the seat cushion upwardly;

a belt airbag for being inflated to push the occupant toward the seat;

first and second gas generators that are operable to inflate the respective seat and belt airbags regardless of whether the buckle and tongue are in the connected condition thereof.

11. An occupant protection device of claim 10 including a first gas flow path between the first gas generator and the seat airbag and a second gas flow path between the second gas generator and the belt airbag with both flow paths being separate and distinct from each other.

12. An occupant protection device of claim 10 wherein the tongue generally divides the belt webbing into shoulder and lap belt portions, and the belt airbag is associated with the lap belt portion.

13. An occupant protection device of claim 10 wherein the buckle and tongue connection defines a first anchor at one side of the vehicle seat, and

a second anchor for the lap belt portion on the other side of the vehicle seat with the second gas generator mounted adjacent the second anchor.

14. An occupant protection device of claim 13 wherein the second anchor includes an anchor member connected to the lap belt portion and incorporated in a pretensioner for the seat belt webbing.

15. The occupant protection system of claim 14 wherein the second anchor includes a common mounting member to which both the second gas generator and the pretensioner are mounted.

16. The occupant protection system of claim 15 wherein the common mounting member is pivotally mounted to the vehicle seat.

17. The occupant protection system of claim 10 in combination with the vehicle seat having a base frame with opposite sides thereof, and the first gas generator is mounted to one of the base frame sides and the second gas generator is mounted to the other base frame side.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the buckle and tongue connection is adjacent the one side, and

an anchor for the belt webbing at the other side of the base frame with the second gas generator adjacent thereto.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein the anchor includes an anchor member connected to the belt webbing and a common mounting member secured to the other side of the base frame and to which both the anchor member and the second gas generator are attached.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the common mounting member and base frame side have a pivot connection therebetween to allow for pivoting of the common mounting member and the anchor member and the second gas generator attached thereto.

21. The combination of claim 19 including a pretensioner attached to the common mounting member with operation of the pretensioner cooperating with the anchor member to tighten the belt webbing about the occupant.