GB2289242A

GB2289242A - Vehicle restraint system for rear seat passenger

Info

Publication number: GB2289242A
Application number: GB9408834A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Anthony Corrigall; Ian Martin Redgrave
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1994-05-04
Filing date: 1994-05-04
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-04
Also published as: GB9408834D0; GB2289242B

Abstract

The supplementary restraint system 15 comprises an airbag 16 which, when deployed, is so shaped as to prevent its passage between the front seats 12 of the vehicle if impacted upon by a rear seated passenger, especially one occupying the central position of the rear seat. The air bag is accommodated in the central console 17. <IMAGE>

Description

A Passenger Vehicle.

This invention relates to passenger vehicles and in particular to a supplementary restraint system therefor, supplementary restraint systems being commonly referred to as airbag assemblies.

It is known to provide a supplementary restraint system to protect the driver and/or front seat passenger of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal impact comprising a reaction device, an airbag coupled to the reaction device, an inflator also coupled to the reaction device and means to activate said inflator.

It is usual to mount such restraint systems within containers attached to the hub of the steering wheel or dashboard of the motor vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a supplementary restraint system for a passenger vehicle to restrain a centre rear passenger of a motor vehicle having two or more rows of seats.

According to the invention there is provided a passenger vehicle having a body structure defining a passenger compartment, two forward facing seats, rear seating for three passengers attached to said body structure and a supplementary restraint system to restrain one or more passengers of the vehicle in the event of a frontal impact wherein the supplementary restraint system comprises an airbag secured to the body structure between the two front seats for deployment in such a manner as to restrain a passenger sitting in the centre of the rear seating.

This has the advantage that in the event of a frontal impact the risk of serious upper torso and head injuries for a centre rear passenger wearing a conventional lap only seat belt is reduced.

Preferably, the airbag is so shaped as to wedge and support itself between said front seats.

Advantageously, the airbag may be considerably wider at a position away from the position where it is secured to the body structure than it is at the position where it is secured to the body structure.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing of which: Fig 1: is a cross-section along the line A-A of Fig 2 through part of a passenger vehicle showing a supplementary restraint system in a deployed state; Fig 2: is a view in the direction of arrow of Fig 1 showing two front seats of the passenger vehicle and the restraint system in said deployed state; Fig 3: is a pictorial view of an airbag forming part of said supplementary restraint system showing the shape of the airbag material prior to sewing; Fig 4: is a view similar to that of Fig 3 but showing the airbag as it would appear when complete and inflated.

With reference to Figs 1 to 4 there is shown part of a passenger vehicle having a body structure 10 defining a passenger compartment 11 in which is mounted a pair of forward facing front seats 12 and seating 13 for three rear passengers. In between said front seats there is mounted a supplementary restraint system 15 comprising of a reaction device in the form of a rigid plate secured to part of the body structure 10, an airbag 16 attached to the reaction device, an inflator (not shown), an activator means (not shown) and an enclosure for the airbag 16 in its deflated pre-deployment state.

The inflator is in the form of a cylindrical housing containing a source of inflation fluid such as a combustible chemical mixture or a quantity of compressed gas, and is arranged to be activated by the activator means to release the compressed gas or ignite the chemical mixture when an impact of a pre-determined magnitude is sensed by the activator means.

The airbag 16 in its normal state is stored in the enclosure which is in the form of a centre console 17 having a releasable lid 18 designed to separate from the console 17 during deployment of the airbag 16.

The airbag 16 is constructed from a fabric such as nylon which is cut into a pre-determined shape and then assembled by sticking or bonding to form an inflatable bag having a mouth at one end through which it may be inflated.

The airbag 16 normally remains folded and concealed by the lid 18 within said console 17 but in the event of the passenger vehicle suffering a severe frontal impact the supplementary restraint system is deployed, the inflator being energised by the activator means causing the airbag 16 to be rapidly inflated and expunged from the console 17, ejecting the lid 18 in the process. During deployment the airbag 16 expands rapidly both upwardly and rearwardly thereby wedging itself between the front seats 12.

As can best be seen by reference to Figs 2 and 4 the airbag 16 is so shaped as to increase the wedging effect by being considerably wider away from its position of attachment to the reaction device than it is near to the reaction device. In fact when the airbag 16 is fully inflated into its deployed state the lateral edges of the airbag 16 overlap the inward facing edges of the front seats 12 by a considerable amount thereby ensuring that the inflated airbag l6j cannot be pushed through the gap between the front seats 12 by the action of a rear passenger 14 impacting against the airbag 16.

In addition, the airbag 16, when inflated, is much deeper at its upper end 20 than at its lower end 21 creating a larger volume than if the airbag 16 were to be of uniform depth. This increase in volume further increases the impact absorption properties of the supplementary restraint system by allowing the inflated airbag 16 to be more compliant.

It will be appreciated that the airbag 16 could be constructed from any suitable fabric and that the invention is not limited to any particular means of inflation.

Similarly, although the airbag as shown is ejected from an upwardly facing aperture it could be ejected from an aperture inclined rearwardly.

Claims

1. A passenger vehicle having a body structure defining a passenger compartment, two forward facing front seats, rear seating for three passengers attached to said body structure and a supplementary restraint system to restrain a passenger of the vehicle in the event of a frontal impact wherein the supplementary restraint system comprises an airbag secured to part of the body structure for deployment in such a manner as to restrain a passenger sitting in the centre of the rear seating.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the airbag is so shaped as to wedge and support itself between said front seats.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 or in claim 2 in which the airbag is considerably wider at a position away from the position where it is secured, to the body structure than it is at the position where it is secured to the body structure.

4. A passenger vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A passenger vehicle having a body structure defining a passenger compartment, two forward facing front seats, rear seating for three passengers attached to said body structure and a supplementary restraint system to restrain a passenger of the vehicle in the event of a frontal impact wherein the supplementary restraint system comprises an airbag secured to part of the body structure between the two front seats for deployment in such a manner as to restrain a passenger sitting in the centre of the rear seating.