Rear structure of vehicle

• US 8,393,642 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Nakaya, Kouichi, Kobayashi, Akihiro, Hirata, Motoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US13/024,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/216.12, 297/216.14, 297/216.16, 280/730.1, 280/751, 180/271, 180/290
• US Class Current: 280/751
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• 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 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels

Abstract

A seat is arranged in front of a back door. An airbag is configured to inflate into a space between the seat and the back door in a rear collision of a vehicle. Herein, when a lower frame portion of a headrest support structure body receives a rearward load in the rear collision of the vehicle, an upper frame portion of the headrest support structure body is moved forwardly around a rotational point of connecting members which pivotally connect an upper portion of the headrest support structure body to the vehicle-body side wall. Accordingly, a headrest attached to the upper frame portion is moved forwardly so that the space between the headrest and the back door can be expanded longitudinally and the passenger'"'"'s head portion can be supported securely.

Claims

1. A rear structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a rear vertical-wall portion provided at a rear end portion of the vehicle;

a seat provided in front of said rear vertical-wall portion, the seat comprising a seatback and a headrest provided above the seatback;

an airbag device provided at an upper portion of the rear end portion of the vehicle and inflating an airbag toward a space between said seat and said rear vertical-wall portion in a vehicle rear collision;

a pressure-receiving portion provided at the seatback of said seat and receiving a load caused by a rearward move of a passenger seated in the seat in the vehicle rear collision;

a connection portion connecting said pressure-receiving portion and the headrest of said seat; and

a headrest-moving mechanism portion associated with said connection portion so as to allow a rearward move of said pressure-receiving portion in accordance with said rearward move of the passenger in the vehicle rear collision and move the headrest of said seat forwardly in accordance with said rearward move of the pressure-receiving portion,

wherein said seat comprises plural sitting portions in a vehicle width direction and plural headrests corresponding to the sitting portions, said pressure-receiving portion is common to any passenger seated on said plural sitting portions of the seat so as to receive the load caused by the rearward move of any one of the passengers seated in the seat, said connection portion is common to said plural headrests so as to connect said common pressure-receiving portion and the plural headrests of the seat, and said headrest-moving mechanism portion moves said plural headrests of the seat forwardly via said common connection portion when said common pressure-receiving portion receives the rearward load from any one of the passengers seated on the plural sitting portions of the seat in the vehicle rear collision.

2. The rear structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said headrest-moving mechanism portion connects said connection portion and a vehicle body rotatably via a connecting member within a range between a middle portion, in a vertical direction, of the seatback and an upper end portion of the seatback when the seatback is in a rising state for use.

3. The rear structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said headrest-moving mechanism portion connects said connection portion and a vehicle body rotatably via a connecting member within a range between a middle portion, in a vertical direction, of the seatback and an upper end portion of the seatback when the seatback is in a rising state for use.

4. The rear structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein a baggage room is provided behind said seat, a partition wall is provided behind the seat and in front of said baggage room, and a space to allow a rearward move of said pressure-receiving portion and/or said connection portion is provided between said partition wall and the seat.