Occupant restraint apparatus

• US 20070018441A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kokeguchi, Akira, Kawase, Isao, Nezaki, Takuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

An occupant restraint apparatus includes a shoulder anchor and an occupant restraint belt. At least a portion of the occupant restraint belt that is positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head is inflatable. The occupant restraint belt comes into contact with the top edge of the seat back even when the volume of the inflatable portion is reduced. A shoulder anchor is positioned behind a seat in the front-rear direction of a vehicle at substantially the same height or below the top edge of a seat back. Therefore, a shoulder belt section of an occupant restraint apparatus extending from the shoulder anchor along the front side of an occupant is in contact with the top edge of the seat back. Therefore, when the shoulder belt section is inflated, excess inflation of the shoulder belt section toward the seat back can be prevented.

Claims

1. An occupant restraint apparatus comprising:

a shoulder anchor disposed behind a seat in a front-rear direction of a vehicle; and

an occupant restraint belt extending through the shoulder anchor and fastened on the front side of an occupant,

wherein at least a portion of the occupant restraint belt that is positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head is inflatable, and

wherein the shoulder anchor is at substantially the same height or below the top edge of a seat back of a seat.

2. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the occupant restraint belt is in contact with the top edge of the seat back.

3. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when inflated, the inflatable portion contacts the top edge of the seat back without inflating down toward the back.

4. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the occupant restraint belt includes:

a shoulder belt section with at least a portion that is inflatable;

a webbing connected to the shoulder belt section; and

a lap belt section.

5. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the webbing section is slidably guided by the shoulder anchor.

6. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shoulder belt section comprises a band-shaped bag covered with a cover.

7. The occupant restraint apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the lap belt section is inflatable.

8. A restraint system for a vehicle occupant comprising:

a shoulder anchor disposed behind a seat in a front-rear direction of a vehicle; and

an occupant restraint belt extending through the shoulder anchor and configured to extend over the shoulder of the occupant and across the occupant'"'"'s torso, wherein the restraint belt includes an inflatable portion configured to be positioned adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head; and

an inflator for inflating the inflatable portion,

wherein the shoulder anchor is at substantially the same height or below the top edge of a seat back of a seat.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein, when inflated, the inflatable portion contacts the top edge of the seat back without inflating down toward the back.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the portion of the restraint belt that extends through the anchor includes a webbing section that is slidably guided by the anchor.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the inflatable portion of the belt includes a band-shaped bag covered with a cover.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the belt includes a lap belt section and wherein at least a portion of the lap belt section is inflatable.