Passenger protecting apparatus

• US 6,905,134 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Hiroaki, Higuchi, Masahiro, Kobayashi, Ichizo, Saiguchi, Ryoji, Sakai, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/714,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/733, 280/806, 297/216.1, 297/216.13, 297/216.14
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/853 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/885 provided with side-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/286 using deformation of material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4614 one pretensioner acting on a plurality of belts
• 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 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676

Abstract

A passenger protecting apparatus that includes an air belt configured to inflate along a back surface of a seat back to provide protection to the lower body a passenger sitting behind the seat. The apparatus includes a buckle and a lap anchor. The rear end on the right and the left of the air belt are connected to the buckle and the lap anchor via a wire respectively. Upon collision, the air belt is inflated and the buckle and the lap anchor are pulled down to thereby pretension the seat belt.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a passenger located in a first vehicle seat including a seat back, the apparatus comprising an air belt located in the lower portion of the seat back and configured to deploy along a back surface of the seat back to thereby protect a lower half of the body of a passenger sitting on a second seat positioned behind the first vehicle seat;

and

a seat belt apparatus for restraining the passenger sitting on the first vehicle seat, the seat belt apparatus including a belt buckle, a lap anchor, and a lowering mechanism for lowering at least one of the buckle and the lap anchor, wherein the air belt is disposed in the first vehicle seat and decreases in length by inflation to thereby act as a driving power source for the lowering mechanism.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seat belt is configured to be pretensioned when the air belt is inflated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the belt buckle is configured to move downward when the air belt is inflated to thereby apply a pretension to the seat belt.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lap anchor is configured to move downward when the air belt is inflated to thereby apply a pretension to the seat belt.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein movement of the belt buckle is limited to the downward direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein movement of the lap anchor is limited to the downward direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air belt is operatively connected with at least one of the belt buckle and the belt lap anchor so that when the air belt inflates and decreases in length the at least one of the buckle and the lap anchor move downward.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the air belt and the at least one of the buckle and the anchor are operatively connected by a wire.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein movement of the wire is limited to one direction.