OCCUPANT PROTECTION APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20160039385A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: WATAMORI, Takatomo, OZORA, Kazuhito
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

An occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle includes: a main bag that, when an occupant who is seated in a seat of the vehicle is about to fall forward, is deployed in front of the occupant and is capable of supporting the head and upper body of the occupant; a sub-bag that is deployed on a longitudinal centerline side of the head of the occupant who plunges into the main bag; and a center bag that is deployed in the center in a lateral direction of the vehicle. The sub-bag is deployed on a door side of the center bag and, when subjected to a load of the head of the occupant who plunges into at least the main bag while being inclined toward the longitudinal centerline side, comes into contact with the lateral side of the center bag on the door side so as to overlap it.

Claims

1. A occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a main bag that, when an occupant who is seated in a seat of the vehicle is about to fall forward, is deployed in front of the occupant and is capable of supporting the head and upper body of the occupant;

a sub-bag that is deployed on a longitudinal centerline side of the head of the occupant who plunges into the main bag; and

a center bag that is deployed in the center in a lateral direction of the vehicle,

wherein the sub-bag is deployed on a door side of the center bag and, when subjected to a load of the head of the occupant who plunges into at least the main bag while being inclined toward the longitudinal centerline side, comes into contact with the lateral side of the center bag on the door side so as to overlaps the lateral side of the center bag.

2. The occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the center bag is a far-side airbag that is deployed in the center in the lateral direction of the vehicle.

3. The occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a contact surface of at least one of the center bag and the sub-bag which come into contact with each other so as to overlap each other is formed so as to reduce friction.

4. The occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a contact surface of at least one of the center bag and the sub-bag which come into contact with each other so as to overlap each other is formed so as to reduce friction.

5. The occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the center bag is deployed from a rear portion to a front portion of the vehicle, and

the contact surface of at least one of the center bag and the sub-bag is formed so as to reduce friction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and suppress slippage in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

6. The occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the center bag is deployed from a rear portion to a front portion of the vehicle, and

the contact surface of at least one of the center bag and the sub-bag is formed so as to reduce friction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and suppress slippage in the vertical direction of the vehicle.