OCCUPANT PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20130001935A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: NAGASAWA, Isamu, BABA, Noriyoshi, NAKASE, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

There is provided an occupant protection device. An air bag device according to the present invention protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating and expanding a head protection air bag body and a chest protection air bag body upon the impact which are housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, the occupant protection device including an inflation and expansion mode control unit configured to inflate and expand the head protection air bag body and the chest protection air bag body mutually independently in accordance with a collision mode of the vehicle, and to control inflation and expansion modes of the head protection air bag body and the chest protection air bag body when inflated and expanded.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device which protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating and expanding a plurality of air bag bodies upon the impact which are housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, the occupant protection device comprising

an inflation and expansion mode control unit configured to inflate and expand the air bag bodies mutually independently in accordance with a collision mode of the vehicle, and to control inflation and expansion modes of the air bag bodies when being inflated and expanded.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit of the occupant protection device according to the present invention controls the inflation expansion modes of the first and second air bag bodies in accordance with whether or not a seat belt of the occupant is fastened.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 2,

wherein the air bag bodies include at least a first air bag body configured to protect the occupant'"'"'s head, and a second air bag body configured to protect the occupant'"'"'s chest, and

in the case where the inflation and expansion mode control unit determines that the occupant is wearing the seat belt, the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control the second air bag body to be inflated and expanded before the first air bag body is inflated and expanded.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 2,

wherein the air bag bodies include at least a first air bag body configured to protect the occupant'"'"'s head, and a second air bag body configured to protect the occupant'"'"'s chest, and

in the case where the inflation and expansion mode control unit determines that the vehicle rolls over, the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control only the first air bag body so as to be inflated and expanded, and to control the second air bag body so as not to be expanded.

5. The occupant protection device according to claim 2,

wherein in the case where the inflation and expansion mode control unit determines that the occupant is not wearing the seat belt, the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control the first air bag body to be inflated and expanded before the second air bag body is inflated and expanded.

6. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control either one of the first and second air bag bodies to be inflated and expanded in accordance with a mode of collision experienced by the vehicle.

7. The occupant protection device according to claim 2,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control either one of the first and second air bag bodies to be inflated and expanded in accordance with a mode of collision experienced by the vehicle.

8. The occupant protection device according to claim 3,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control either one of the first and second air bag bodies to be inflated and expanded in accordance with a mode of collision experienced by the vehicle.

9. The occupant protection device according to claim 4,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control either one of the first and second air bag bodies to be inflated and expanded in accordance with a mode of collision experienced by the vehicle.

10. The occupant protection device according to claim 5,

wherein the inflation and expansion mode control unit is configured to control either one of the first and second air bag bodies to be inflated and expanded in accordance with a mode of collision experienced by the vehicle.

11. An occupant protection device which inflates and expands a plurality of air bag bodies mutually independently upon a collision of a vehicle so as to protect an occupant against an impact caused by the collision of the vehicle, the occupant protection device comprising

an inflation and expansion mode control unit configured to control inflation and expansion modes of the air bag bodies in accordance with modes of collision experienced by the vehicle.