Vehicle

• US 9,308,882 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Isamu
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/478,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20150091280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/734
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

A vehicle has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat. The vehicle includes: a rear occupancy detector that detects the presence of a seat occupant in the rear seat; and a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag. The airbag in the seat back elastically supports an upper body of a seat occupant of the front seat, and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back. The controller cancels deployment/inflation of the airbag when a seat occupant is not present in the rear seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a rear occupancy detector that detects the presence of a seat occupant in the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag,

wherein the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body portion that extends from the waist to chest of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when a seat occupant is not present in the rear seat.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the deployment/inflation such that the airbag expands between a suspended elastic support member supported by a seat back frame structure and seat back covering material facing the rear seat.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the air bag is positioned in a storage state below a headrest supported by the seat back frame structure.

4. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the seat back frame structure includes an upper frame section extending above an expansion zone of the air bag, and a pair of side frame sections positioned on opposite sides, in the vehicle width direction, of the expansion zone.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle further comprises a collision sensor for predicting or detecting a rear collision;

and

the deployment/inflation is performed after the collision sensor predicts or detects a rear collision.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

7. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a child seat attachment detector that detects attachment of a child seat to the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag, wherein

the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when a child seat is attached to the rear seat.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the vehicle further comprises a collision sensor for predicting or detecting a rear collision;

and

the deployment/inflation is performed after the collision sensor predicts or detects a rear collision.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

10. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

11. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a rear seat occupant type detector that detects a body type of a seat occupant of the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag, wherein

the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when the type of the seat occupant is a predetermined body type.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the vehicle further comprises a collision sensor for predicting or detecting a rear collision;

and

the deployment/inflation is performed after the collision sensor predicts or detects a rear collision.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

14. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

15. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a rear seat load detector that detects a condition of a load carried on the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag, wherein

the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when the load carried on the rear seat is in a predetermined condition.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

the vehicle further comprises a collision sensor for predicting or detecting a rear collision;

and

the deployment/inflation is performed after the collision sensor predicts or detects a rear collision.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

19. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a rear occupancy detector that detects the presence of a seat occupant in the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag,

wherein the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when a seat occupant is not present in the rear seat, and

wherein the vehicle further comprises a collision sensor for predicting or detecting a rear collision; and

the deployment/inflation is performed after the collision sensor predicts or detects a rear collision.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat;

and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.

21. A vehicle that has a front seat in which an airbag is deployed so as to inflate in an interior of a seat back in response to a collision, and a rear seat disposed behind the front seat, the vehicle comprising:

a rear occupancy detector that detects the presence of a seat occupant in the rear seat; and

a controller that controls deployment/inflation of the airbag,

wherein the deployment/inflation within the seat back is performed such that the deployed/inflated airbag elastically supports an upper body of a front seat occupant and elastically receives an impact force exerted on a back surface of the seat back; and

the controller cancels the deployment/inflation when a seat occupant is not present in the rear seat, and

wherein the front seat is a front passenger seat, and the vehicle further comprises a front passenger seat occupancy detector for detecting the presence of a seat occupant in the front passenger seat; and

the deployment/inflation is canceled when a seat occupant is not present in the front passenger seat.