Occupant protecting device

• US 6,935,684 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan GK
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/453,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/DIG.3, 297/284.11, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 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 21/207 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 22/4619 Transmission of tensioning power by cable, e.g. using a clutch on reel side
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4633 Linear actuators, e.g. comprising a piston moving along reel axis and rotating along its own axis

Abstract

To provide an occupant protecting device in which a bag placed at the front of a seat cushion is inflated to locally and sufficiently push up or sufficiently harden the front of the seat cushion in order to prevent the forward movement of the waist of an occupant. An inflatable tube is placed under the front of a cushion pad. Gas is introduced from an inflator into the tube. A cover is provided to overlie the tube. The cover is pushed up when the tube is inflated. The cover tapers toward the top.

Claims

1. A device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprising:

a seat having a seating surface and a seat back;

an inflatable bag placed under the seating surface; and

a cover overlying the bag and configured to be pushed upward by the bag when the bag is inflated;

wherein the cover has a width measured along a line extending in a forward direction of the seat substantially parallel to the seating surface and wherein the cover is configured so that a measurement of the width of the cover increases as the distance of the line from the seating surface increases.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cover has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the cover taken through a plane extending parallel to the forward direction of the seat is dome-shaped.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the cross-section is substantially semi-circular.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the cross-section is a substantially semi-elliptical cross-section.

6. A device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprising:

a seat having a seating surface and a seat back;

an inflatable bag placed under the seating surface; and

a cover overlying the bag and configured to be pushed upward by the bag when the bag is inflated;

wherein the cover is tapered away from the seating surface, and

wherein the cover has a top and a bottom, the bottom of the cover having an opening facing away from the seating surface, and the top of the cover comprises a flat planar surface.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the top of the cover contacts a cushion located under the seating surface.

8. A device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle comprising:

a seat having a seating surface and seat back;

an inflated bag placed under the seating surface; and

a cover overlying the bag and configured to be pushed upward by the bag when the bag is inflated;

wherein the cover includes a plurality of planar surfaces and wherein two of the planar surfaces are inclined away from the seating surface in opposite directions.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein one of the planar surfaces is positioned between the two inclined surfaces.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the cover has a width measured along a line extending in a forward direction of the seat substantially parallel to the seating surface and wherein the two inclined surfaces are positioned so that a measurement of the width of the cover increases as the distance of the line from the seating surface increases.