JP2003025889A - Occupant protecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize car body declaration waveform for suitably reducing the declaration of the occupant. SOLUTION: A retractor 11 connecting to one end of a seat belt 3 is mounted to a slider 12b supported by a slide rail 12a, the slider and a seat 1 are interconnected via a cable 13 having an outer, and an actuator 8 can move the seat. In an initial time of a collision, the actuator moves the seat backward with respect to the car body to move the retractor to strengthen constraint of the seat belt. In an intermediate time of the collision, inverse declaration is generated in the seat and the retractor by a buffer of the actuator. A declaration larger than an average declaration (car body declaration) is generated in a retractor side anchor of the seat belt to integrate the occupant and the car body as soon as possible in the initial time of the collision, and the occupant and the car body can be integrally decelerated at the average declaration in the final time of the collision. Therefore, the car body declaration waveform for suitably reducing the declaration of the occupant can be realized.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an occupant protection system. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a vehicle provided with a pretensioner device which actively tightens a seat belt as an occupant restraint device in the event of a collision in order to enhance the occupant protection effect in the event of a collision. The deceleration of the occupant in the form of being restrained by the seat by the seatbelt as such an occupant restraint device rises only when a forward inertial force acting on the occupant during a vehicle collision is received by the seatbelt. Here, since the spring action of the seat belt cannot be completely eliminated, the occupant moves forward due to inertial force, and the occupant deceleration reaches a peak when the seat belt elongation reaches a maximum, It is said that the peak value of the occupant deceleration increases as the amount of movement of the occupant due to the inertial force increases, and is generally higher than the average deceleration of the living space portion of the vehicle body. If the relationship between the vehicle body deceleration and the occupant deceleration is regarded as an input / output for a system constituted by a spring (occupant restraint) and a mass point (mass of the occupant), the maximum value of the extension of the spring and its It can be seen that the time is governed by the vehicle body deceleration waveform (time change). Therefore, in order to reduce the occupant deceleration, it is preferable to adjust not only the average deceleration of the vehicle body but also the vehicle body deceleration waveform so as to minimize the overshoot of the spring (occupant restraint device). In a conventional vehicle body structure, a crushable zone constituted by a collision reaction force generating member such as a side beam and a gap between components is arranged at a front portion of the vehicle body.
The collision energy is absorbed by deforming the vehicle body components in this part, and the reaction deceleration waveform is adjusted by changing the reaction force characteristics by setting the dimensions of each part, so that the collision of parts other than the living space of the vehicle is adjusted. Various types of vehicle structures have been proposed in which the deformation mode of the vehicle body is appropriately set to reduce the deceleration of the living space portion of the vehicle body, and the deformation is prevented from reaching the living space (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-101354, etc.). reference). [0005] In order to reduce the occupant injury value at the time of an automobile collision,
First, it is better to reduce the maximum value of the occupant acceleration (deceleration). When the occupant deceleration is integrated with the vehicle body via the seat belt, the vehicle deceleration waveform (time change)
Is governed by Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, an ideal vehicle body (seat) deceleration (G2) waveform for reducing the occupant deceleration (G1) is an initial section in which a large deceleration is generated at the start of a collision. (A), a middle section (b) in which reverse deceleration is generated next, and a later section (c) in which average deceleration is generated thereafter. In such a vehicle body deceleration waveform, it has been confirmed by a simulation or the like that the occupant deceleration becomes smaller than the case of a constant deceleration (rectangular wave) for the same vehicle body deformation amount (dynamic stroke). On the other hand, in the conventional vehicle body structure, the body components in the crushable zone are always deformed at the start of a collision from a portion having a low strength, and thereafter, a portion having a high strength is deformed. Therefore, the collision reaction force, that is, the waveform of the vehicle body deceleration becomes small at the beginning and becomes large in the latter half, so that it cannot be said that there is a sufficient effect on the reduction of the occupant deceleration. In order to solve this problem, a method of obtaining a constant reaction force by utilizing the crushing of a side beam, or a method of maintaining a stable reaction force by providing a plurality of partition walls in a side beam (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-1995). No. 101354) has been proposed. However, with these methods, it has been difficult to obtain a more effective deceleration waveform even though the deceleration of the vehicle body can be approached to a constant deceleration (rectangular wave). As a specific structure for realizing the ideal vehicle body deceleration waveform, for example, one or a plurality of vehicle body side fixed points (anchor points) where a plurality of seat belts constituting a restraint device exist. Points (less than all)
A shock absorbing load transmitting member provided on the vehicle body side to achieve the vehicle body deceleration (G2) waveform (for example, a member which is compressed and deformed later than the vehicle body floor due to an impact force at the time of a collision)
It is conceivable to couple or engage with. Thereby, the ideal vehicle body deceleration waveform described above can be obtained. In order to reduce the spring action of the seat belt as much as possible, it is preferable to provide a pretensioner device on the seat belt so that the seat belt is actively contracted in the event of a collision. [0009] On the other hand, the occupant deceleration G1
And the vehicle body deceleration G2, as shown in FIG. 7, when the transfer function is a two-mass spring mass system composed of the mass Mm of the occupant 2, a spring (such as a seat belt), and the mass Mv of the vehicle body. , Which corresponds to the input / output of That is, the vehicle body deceleration G2 is a second derivative with respect to time of the coordinates representing the vehicle body mass Mv. However, in an actual automobile collision, for example, in the case of a three-point seat bell, a shoulder belt portion of a seat belt which can be regarded as a spring is provided on the chest of the occupant 2 which can be regarded as an action point of the occupant mass Mm. Therefore, the shoulder belt portion can be considered as being divided into two springs, a portion from the chest contact point to the shoulder anchor connection point and a portion from the chest contact point to the buckle connection point. In the case where the shoulder anchor connection point and the buckle connection point can be regarded as moving integrally as in the case of a seat belt integrated with a seat, both decelerations are the same, so that the seat belt corresponds to the seat belt. By decomposing the two split springs, the deceleration of each of the shoulder anchor connection point and the buckle connection point is calculated as follows.
The input in the two-mass spring mass system, that is, the same as the vehicle deceleration can be used. [0012] Assuming that the two connection points perform different relative movements with respect to the vehicle body, for example, the buckle connection point is fixed to the vehicle body, and only the shoulder anchor connection point can perform relative movement with respect to the vehicle body. The case is shown. In this case, since the respective decelerations at the buckle connection point and the shoulder anchor connection point are different, two springs can be simply synthesized,
The deceleration at the shoulder anchor connection point or the buckle connection point cannot be simply regarded as the vehicle body deceleration. On the other hand, the only external force applied to the chest contact point is the load received from the seat belt. Therefore, if the time change of the sum of the seat belt loads limited to the deceleration direction component of the seat belt is equal to the time change of the spring load in the two-mass spring mass system, the optimal vehicle deceleration waveform for the body mass of the two-mass spring mass system , The same deceleration waveform as the response of the occupant mass point appears on the occupant chest. As a result, the occupant is restrained by the belt as soon as possible, and a complete ride-down state in which the relative speed between the vehicle body and the occupant chest is set to 0 (the difference between the occupant deceleration G1 and the vehicle body deceleration G2 is eliminated) is realized. It becomes possible. In order to realize the time change of the seat belt load causing such a phenomenon, the time change (average vehicle body deceleration waveform) of the average deceleration at the shoulder anchor connection point and the buckle connection point (that is, the vehicle body) is required. It suffices if it is equal to the optimal vehicle deceleration waveform. By introducing the concept of the average vehicle deceleration waveform, it is possible to obtain exactly the same occupant deceleration reduction effect as in the case of controlling the vehicle deceleration so that the entire vehicle has an optimal deceleration waveform. However, when the mass associated with the seat belt connection point is substantially equal to or less than the mass of the occupant, the spring mass system formed by the spring element of the seat belt and the mass associated with the seat belt connection point is high. Frequency vibration occurs, making it difficult to control the deceleration at the connection point.If the mass accompanying the seat belt connection point is not substantially equal to or greater than the mass of the occupant, the predetermined seat belt load Time change cannot be realized. For this purpose, it is necessary to apply a mass that is in opposition to the mass of the occupant to the seat belt connection point, but there is a problem that it cannot be realized by a conventional seat belt pretensioner. In order to solve such a problem and realize a vehicle body deceleration waveform that suitably reduces the deceleration of the occupant, it is possible to reduce the injury value of the occupant. In the present invention, at least a part of the seat belt (3) for restraining the occupant (2) seated on the seat (1) is connected and the seat belt (3) is strengthened for restraining the occupant (2). A belt-coupling movable part (11.12a, 12b) provided on the vehicle body (5.10) so as to be movable in the constraint strengthening direction, and the belt-coupling movable part (11.12a, 12b) and the seat (1) A connecting cable (13), and the belt-coupling movable section (1) via the cable (13).
Collision detecting means (9) for enabling the seat (1) to be displaced so that the vehicle body (1.12a, 12b) moves in the constraint strengthening direction, and detecting a forward collision of the vehicle body (5.10); In response to the detection signal generated by the collision detecting means (9), the belt-coupled movable part (11, 12a, 12)
b) to apply a force for displacing the seat (1) to the seat (1) in the constraint strengthening direction.
0) and the first acceleration generating means (8b
8c, 8d, and 8f) and the vehicle body (5.10) and the seat (1) are moved in order to apply a force to the seat (1) after the seat (1) moves by a predetermined amount (d). And (2) a second acceleration generating means (8 g) provided between the first acceleration generating means and (1). According to this, when the collision is detected, the seat is moved by the first acceleration generating means, and the belt-coupling movable portion is moved in accordance therewith to strengthen the restraint of the seat belt, thereby integrating the occupant and the seat as soon as possible. A deceleration greater than the average deceleration (vehicle deceleration) is generated in an anchor (for example, a shoulder anchor) on the side of the belt-coupled movable portion of the seat belt, and when the movable portion moves by a predetermined amount, the movement is determined by a second acceleration generating means. In the end of the collision, the occupant
Since the vehicle body can be integrally decelerated at an average deceleration, a vehicle body deceleration waveform suitable for reducing the occupant deceleration can be realized. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which an occupant protection device according to the present invention is applied. A seat belt 3 for restraining the movement of the occupant 2 with respect to the seat 1 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the seatbelt 3 may be of a three-point fixed type, and one end of the seatbelt 3 is also provided on the pillar 10 via a shoulder anchor 4 provided on the pillar 10 of the vehicle body frame. The other end is connected to an anchor 6 fixed to a part of the floor 5 of the vehicle body frame, and the intermediate portion can be engaged with a buckle 7 integrally attached to the seat 1. I have. Incidentally, the retractor 11 is for restricting the extension of the seat belt 3 at the time of sudden deceleration, and may be the same as that generally provided in a passenger car or the like. The seat 1 is provided so as to be displaceable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body with respect to the floor 5 via the seat rail 1a. An actuator 8 is fixedly provided on the front end side of the seat 1 on the floor 5 (front side in the vehicle traveling direction). As shown in FIG. 3, the actuator 8 includes a cylinder 8b supported by a bracket 8a fixed to the floor 5 in an upright state and provided so as to extend toward the front of the vehicle body. A piston 8c provided coaxially in the cylinder 8b and one end of the cylinder 8 (front side of the vehicle body)
And a manifold 8d coupled to the Further, the actuator 8 is provided with a rod 8e integral with the piston 8c so as to penetrate the bracket 8a and protrude below the front end of the seat 1. The protruding end of the rod 8e is It is connected to a bracket 1b fixed to the lower surface of the seat 1. The actuator 8 has a gas generator 8f facing an empty space in the manifold 8d, and a bracket 8a having one end in the axial direction supported by a portion facing the cylinder 8a so as to surround the rod 8e. 8g of cylindrical shock absorber formed on
Are provided. The front end of the buffer body 8g on the vehicle body front side is positioned with a predetermined amount d of air gap from the piston 8c. The outer peripheral surface of the piston 8c is tilted when the piston 8c moves rearward to allow the movement, and bites into the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 8b when the piston 8c moves forward. A reverse rotation preventing ring 8h for preventing movement is provided. In the actuator 8 configured as described above, the cylinder 8b, the piston 8c, the manifold 8d, and the gas generator 8f constitute the first acceleration generating means, and the buffer 8g is used as the second acceleration generating means. It becomes. The gas generator 8f is connected to a signal line from a control device 9 serving as collision detection means mounted at an appropriate position on the vehicle body (for example, on the floor 5). The control device 9 has a built-in collision sensor (not shown) composed of, for example, a G sensor, and outputs a collision detection signal to the gas generator 8f when detecting a collision satisfying a predetermined operating condition. . The gas generator 8f instantaneously generates inflation gas in response to the collision detection signal, and the inflation gas is sent out into the manifold 8d. As shown in FIG. 2, a slide rail 12a is fixed to the pillar 10 of the vehicle body so as to extend in the longitudinal direction, and a slider 12b is movably attached to the slide rail 12a. I have. The retractor 11 described above is integrally attached to the slider 12b, and one end of an inner cable 13a of the outer cable 13 is connected to the slider 12b. Thus, the belt-coupling movable portion is configured. The outer cable 13 has one end of the outer fixed to the pillar 10 and the pillar 1
0 and the lower side of the seat 1 along the floor 5, and the other end of the outer is fixed to the floor 5 so as to face from the front side of the vehicle body toward the rear below the seat 1 below. I have. It should be noted that brackets and the like for fixing each appropriate position are not shown. The other end of the inner cable 13a of the outer cable 13 is connected to a bracket 1c provided on the lower surface of the seat 1. Therefore, sheet 1
And the retractor 11 (slider 12b) are connected to each other via a cable 13 with an outer. Next, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the control procedure of the present invention in the case of a frontal collision with a fixed building or the like will be described below. FIG. 4A shows an initial state (section a in FIG. 6) immediately after the start of the collision. First, after the front end of the body is crushed, the front end of the side beam 14 of the frame integrated with the floor 5 is compressed and deformed as shown in the drawing. When the collision sensor in the control device 9 detects the vehicle deceleration generated in such a large collision, the operation condition is determined by the control device 9 as described above, and when the condition is satisfied, the gas generator Activate 8f. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 5A, the inflation gas generated by the gas generator 8f is sent into the manifold 8d, and is pressed by the gas pressure of the inflation gas to move the piston 8c to the rear of the vehicle body. start. Then, the seat 1 (bracket 1b) connected to the piston 8c via the rod 8e starts to move rearward of the vehicle body while being guided by the seat rail 1a, and accelerates in accordance with an increase in generated gas pressure. The movement of the seat 1 causes the inner cable 13a of the outer cable 13 to be pulled through the other bracket 1c provided on the lower surface of the seat 1, so that the slider 1 is moved through the outer cable 13.
2b moves below the vehicle body while being guided by the slide rail 12a. Therefore, the retractor 11, which is one of the fixing points of the seat belt 3, also moves to the lower side of the vehicle body, and the direction of the movement is a direction in which the restraint of the occupant 2 by the seat belt 3 is strengthened. As a result, a load is generated in the seat belt 3 in a direction that increases the restraining force. The rise of the seat belt load is 3
When the occupant stops jumping forward due to inertia in the case of a seat belt whose point is simply fixed, the occupant rises quickly and the deceleration of the occupant 2 is G in FIG.
It occurs early as shown in FIG. For this reason, the same effect as when the deceleration greater than that of the vehicle body (floor 5) occurs at the engagement portion of the seat belt 3 with the shoulder anchor 4 is generated. Further, since the seat 1 in a state where the occupant 2 is integrally restrained is forcibly moved to the rear of the vehicle body, it is possible to further promote the early occurrence of the deceleration of the occupant 2. FIG. 4B shows a state in the middle stage of the middle stage of the collision (section b in FIG. 6). As the crushing of the front part of the vehicle body progresses, in the actuator 8, the piston 8c further moves to the rear of the vehicle body as shown by an arrow in FIG. 5B, and the retractor 11 further moves with the movement of the seat 1. Move down. Then, as the movement of the piston 8c proceeds, the piston 8c collides with the buffer 8g, and the movement of the seat 1 and the retractor 11 is reduced, that is, accelerations in the opposite directions are generated. For this reason, the same effect as when the acceleration in the direction opposite to the collision deceleration of the vehicle body is generated at the engagement portion of the seat belt 3 with the shoulder anchor 4. In order to realize this effect, in order to apply a mass opposing the mass of the occupant to the engagement portion of the seat belt 3 with the shoulder anchor 4, the mass of the seat 1 and the buffer 8 g are required.
Can be adjusted by the acceleration at the time of collision.
In the middle period, when the acceleration of the seat 1 in the opposite direction ends, the speed and deceleration of the occupant 2 are reduced to the passenger compartment (floor 5).
It is desirable to appropriately design the characteristics (elongation and spring characteristics) of the seat belt 3 and the characteristics (impact absorption characteristics) of the buffer 8g so as to match the speed and deceleration of the vehicle. FIG. 4C shows the state of the latter half of the collision (section c in FIG. 6). In this latter period, the buffer 8
The movement of the seat 1 and the retractor 11 is further decelerated by g, and the piston 8c stops moving. Along with that, the seat 1 and the retractor 11 also stop moving,
Thereafter, the seat 1 and the retractor 11 are held at the stopped position until the end of the collision by the action of the above-described reverse rotation prevention ring 8h. At this stage, if the speed / deceleration of the occupant 2 matches the speed / deceleration of the passenger compartment, no relative movement occurs between the occupant 2 and the passenger compartment, and Continue to decelerate with the room. In other words, the relative speed difference between the occupant 2 and the passenger compartment is made as small as possible, and the difference between the occupant deceleration G1 and the vehicle body deceleration G2 is made as small as possible. Can be reduced. As described above, by controlling the deceleration generated in the retractor 11 (the engagement portion of the seat belt 3 with the shoulder anchor 4) by the above-described process so as to have a predetermined optimal deceleration waveform, By designing the actuator 8 so that an optimal deceleration waveform is generated, a function of significantly reducing the occupant deceleration G1 can be exhibited. In the illustrated example, the seat belt 3 is moved by moving the retractor 11 through the slider 12a.
However, instead of this, a cable with an outer cable 1 is attached to a pulley directly connected to a winding core of a retractor, such as a pretensioner mechanism employed in a passenger car or the like.
3 may be connected. Thereby, the pulley is rotated with the movement of the sheet 1 at the time of collision, and the seat belt 3 can be wound up by the winding core, and tension can be applied to the seat belt 3. Further, in the illustrated example, the retractor 11 is moved as the belt-coupling movable portion, but each anchor at the other two points of the three-point seat belt may be moved. Further, in the illustrated example, a structure in which an arbitrary seat position can be adjusted is not provided for simplicity, but a seat position adjusting mechanism provided in a passenger car may be employed. In that case, the actuator 8 is fixed to the movable rail (assuming to be integral with the seat rail 1a) of the seat position adjusting mechanism, and the outer side of the cable 13 with outer can be displaced on the seat 1 side like a flexible tube. You can do it. As described above, according to the present invention, when a collision is detected, the seat is moved by the first acceleration generating means, and the belt-coupling movable part is moved accordingly, thereby strengthening the restraint of the seat belt. When the occupant and the seat are integrated as soon as possible and a deceleration greater than the average deceleration (vehicle deceleration) is generated in the anchor (for example, a shoulder anchor) on the side of the belt-coupled movable portion of the seat belt, and when the movable portion moves by a predetermined amount, By stopping the movement by the second acceleration generating means, the deceleration in the opposite direction is generated in the movable portion, and the occupant and the vehicle body can be integrally decelerated at the average deceleration at the end of the collision. Therefore, it is possible to realize a vehicle body deceleration waveform suitable for reducing the occupant deceleration. As a result, not only can the occupant deceleration be significantly reduced even with a smaller vehicle body deformation amount (dynamic stroke) than in the past, and further, the occupant's movement amount in the vehicle relative to the vehicle body can be reduced by the load limiter of the restraint device. Since the occupant deceleration can be suppressed to a smaller value than when the (E / A) is used, the possibility of a secondary collision can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which an occupant protection device according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire sheet. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the actuator. FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a vehicle body showing a state at the beginning of a collision, FIG. 4B is a view showing a state of a middle stage of a collision, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state at the end of a collision. 5A is a diagram illustrating an operation state of an actuator at an early stage of a collision, FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a state of a middle stage of a collision, and FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating a state of a final stage of a collision. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating deceleration waveforms of an occupant and a seat. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a relationship among an occupant, a vehicle body, and a seat belt at the time of a vehicle body collision. [Description of Signs] 1 Seat 2 Occupant 3 Seat belt 5 Floor (vehicle body) 8b Cylinder (first acceleration generating means) 8c Piston (first acceleration generating means) 8d Manifold (first acceleration generating means) 8f Gas generation Container (first acceleration generating means) 8g Buffer (second acceleration generating means) 9 Control device (collision detecting means) 10 Pillar (vehicle body) 11 Retractor (belt coupling movable part) 12a Slide rail (belt coupling movable part) 12b Slider (movable part of belt connection) 13 Cable with outer (cable)

Claims (1)

Claims 1. An at least part of a seatbelt for restraining an occupant seated on a seat is provided on a vehicle body so that at least a part of the seatbelt is coupled and the seatbelt can be moved in a restraint strengthening direction for strengthening the restraint of the occupant. A belt coupling movable section, and a cable connecting the belt coupling movable section and the sheet, wherein the sheet can be displaced via the cable so that the belt coupling movable section moves in the constraint strengthening direction. And collision detection means for detecting a forward collision of the vehicle body, and a force for displacing the belt-coupled movable portion in the constraint strengthening direction in response to generation of a detection signal by the collision detection means. First acceleration generating means provided between the seat and the vehicle body; and a force for preventing the subsequent movement of the seat when the seat moves by a predetermined amount. To add to preparative occupant protection device, characterized in that it comprises a second acceleration generating means provided between said vehicle body and said seat.