Occupant protection device

• US 8,789,847 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Isamu, Baba, Noriyoshi, Nakase, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US13/524,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/731, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0053 Legs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided an occupant protection device. An air bag device according to the present invention protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating and expanding an air bag body upon the collision, which is housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, the center pad being provided so as not to rotate along with the steering wheel, the air bag body having a first chamber and a second chamber which is configured to be expanded between the occupant and the lower edge of the steering wheel in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device which protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating an air bag body upon occurrence of the collision, the air bag body being housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, wherein

the center pad is provided so as not to rotate along with the steering wheel,

the air bag body includes a plurality of chambers, one of the plurality of chambers being configured to be inflated from behind the steering wheel toward the occupant through a space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle so as to urge the occupant'"'"'s legs downward into a seat, and

the one of the plurality of chambers is configured to inflate to fill the space between the legs of the occupant and the lower edge of the steering wheel so as to reduce a forward moving distance of the occupant in the vehicle front-rear direction upon the vehicle experiencing an impact.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to cover a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated from under the steering wheel toward the occupant.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to vertically fill the space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel.

5. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to urge the legs of the occupant against the seat upon the vehicle experiencing an impact, so as to counteract an occupant'"'"'s submarining upon collision.

6. The occupant protection device according to claim 1,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to inflate at impact of the collision.

7. An occupant protection device which protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating an air bag body upon occurrence of the collision, the air bag body being housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, wherein

the center pad is provided so as not to rotate along with the steering wheel, and

the air bag body includes a plurality of chambers, one of the plurality of chambers being configured to inflate at impact of the collision, and to be inflated from behind the steering wheel and toward the occupant through a space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

8. The occupant protection device according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to cover a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

9. The occupant protection device according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated from under the steering wheel toward the occupant.

10. The occupant protection device according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to vertically fill the space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel.

11. The occupant protection device according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to urge the legs of the occupant against the seat upon the vehicle experiencing an impact, so as to counteract an occupant'"'"'s submarining upon collision.

12. The occupant protection device according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to urge the occupant'"'"'s legs downward into the seat.

13. An occupant protection device which protects an occupant against an impact caused by a collision of a vehicle by inflating an air bag body upon occurrence of the collision, the air bag body being housed in a center pad of a steering wheel, wherein

the center pad is provided so as not to rotate along with the steering wheel, and

the air bag body includes a plurality of chambers, one of the plurality of chambers being configured to be inflated from behind the steering wheel toward the occupant and through a space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle so as to urge the occupant'"'"'s legs downward into a seat,

the one of the plurality of chambers is configured to inflate without reliance on a compressive force being applied against any of the remaining plurality of chambers.

14. The occupant protection device according to claim 13,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to cover a lower edge of the steering wheel in a vertical direction of the vehicle.

15. The occupant protection device according to claim 13,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated from under the steering wheel toward the occupant.

16. The occupant protection device according to claim 13,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to vertically fill the space extending from the occupant'"'"'s legs to a lower edge of the steering wheel.

17. The occupant protection device according to claim 13,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to be inflated so as to urge the legs of the occupant against the seat upon the vehicle experiencing an impact, so as to counteract an occupant'"'"'s submarining upon collision.

18. The occupant protection device according to claim 13,

wherein the one of the plurality of chambers of the air bag body is configured to inflate at impact of the collision.