Occupant protecting device

• US 6,863,298 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan GK
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abe, Kazuhiro, Sakai, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US10/458,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742, 280/806, 297/216.1
• US Class Current: 280/728.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23509 Fabric
• 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 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1951 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1952 Transmission of tensioning power by cable; Return motion locking means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1955 Linear actuators

Abstract

An occupant protecting device which makes it possible to inflate a bag of an inflatable seatbelt device or exerting a pre-tension upon a seatbelt by a gas generator for inflating a bag disposed at the front portion of a seat cushion. An occupant protecting device including an inflatable tube disposed under the front portion of a cushion pad. Gas from an inflator enters the tube through a cylinder. A piston is disposed inside the cylinder, and is connected to a lap anchor through a wire. A structure which causes a bag to be inflated by the gas from the inflator may also be used.

Claims

1. An occupant protecting device comprising:

an inflatable bag disposed inside or under a front portion of a vehicle seat cushion;

a gas generator for inflating the bag in case of a vehicle emergency; and

a pretensioner for applying tension to a seatbelt in conjunction with the operation of the gas generator,

wherein the pretensioner comprises a cylinder mechanism including a piston configured to be moved by gas pressure generated by the gas generator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pretensioner includes a wire connected to a seat belt anchor.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cylinder passing through the inflatable bag.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the piston is disposed inside of the cylinder.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the cylinder is fluidly connected to the gas generator and includes openings for allowing generated gas to pass from the gas generator into the bag.

6. An occupant protecting device comprising:

an inflatable tube disposed inside or below a front portion of a vehicle seat cushion;

a gas generator for inflating the inflatable tube in an emergency in a vehicle;

an inflatable seatbelt device including a bag being inflated along the front side of the body of the occupant when the vehicle is in a collision; and

a gas guide for inflating the bag of the seatbelt device with gas introduced into the bag from the gas generator.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein gas guide comprises a conduit for carrying gas from the gas generator to the inflatable seatbelt device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the conduit passes through the tube.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the conduit includes holes allowing generated gas to pass from the conduit to the tube.

10. An occupant protection system comprising:

an inflatable bag disposed under a seating surface of a vehicle seat configured to be inflated so that a front portion the vehicle seat is pushed up;

a gas generator;

an occupant restraining mechanism for restraining the forward movement of an occupant'"'"'s torso when the vehicle is in a frontal collision;

wherein the gas generator is configured to provide gas for inflating the bag and activating the occupant restraining mechanism.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the occupant restraining mechanism comprises a seat belt pretensioner.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a piston disposed in a cylinder, wherein the piston moves due to pressurized gas generated by the gas generator.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the piston is operably connected to a seatbelt so that when the piston moves due to operation of the gas generator a tension is exerted on the seatbelt.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the occupant restraining mechanism comprises an inflatable seat belt.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the occupant restraining mechanism includes a conduit fluidly connecting the gas generator to the inflatable seat belt.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the conduit passes through the bag.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the conduit includes holes for allowing gas to be transferred from gas generator to the bag.