JP2005193846A - Occupant restraint system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an angle of a waist belt to be positively changed in such an effective direction as one for preventing a submarine phenomenon when a vehicle collapses. <P>SOLUTION: This occupant restraint system has a waist belt 12 applied in a lateral orientation over a waist part of an occupant H sat on a vehicle seat 1 to restrict the waist part of the occupant while both ends are connected to the right and left lower anchors 13 of the occupant. This system is provided with a pull-down mechanism M1 that moves a buckle 15 in a downward direction during crashing of a vehicle and pulls down the end part of the waist belt 12 from its normal position to a downward direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an occupant restraint device for an automobile that has improved safety when restrained by a waist belt.

  An automobile seat is equipped with a three-point or two-point seat belt device in order to prevent an occupant from being thrown forward in the event of a vehicle collision. Not only the front seat but also the rear seat is equipped with a seat belt device. For example, in the three-point seat belt device, an anchor portion is provided at each of the upper shoulder portion of the occupant seated on the seat and the left and right lower portions of the occupant, and the seat belt is coupled to the three anchor portions, The crew is restrained.

  The seat belt (webbing) of the three-point seat belt device consists of a shoulder belt that is bridged diagonally in front of the chest from the upper part of one side of the occupant to the lower part of the other side, and the waist belt A waist belt spanned above, the upper end of the shoulder belt is connected to the anchor on the upper shoulder of the occupant, and the end on the same side of the waist belt is the anchor on one side of the lower left and right of the occupant Is bound to. Then, the tongue connected to the shoulder belt and the waist belt is inserted into and engaged with a buckle attached to the other left and right anchor portions of the occupant via a connecting member (wire, webbing, etc.). The belt restrains the occupant's chest and waist and functions to prevent the occupant from being thrown forward in the event of a vehicle collision. In practice, the upper end portion of the shoulder belt and the end portion of the waist belt on the same side are wound around the retractor via the anchor portion. It also has normal elements such as a pretensioner that tensions the seat belt in an emergency.

  By the way, for example, when an occupant is seated in a rear seat, it is not necessarily the case that the user sits with his / her hips in a deep position, but also sits in a posture such that the hips are shifted forward and lie down. The seat belt device is originally considered to restrain the occupant by hanging the waist belt on the hip bone, but when sitting in the above-mentioned posture, the upper body tilts backward and the hip bone also tilts backward. Cheap. Therefore, when a vehicle collision occurs in such a state that the occupant is lying down (an easy posture with the waist shifted forward), the waist belt comes off the hipbone as the occupant moves forward, and the lumbar region of the occupant May slip to the lower side of the waist belt, and a load from the waist belt may be applied to the abdomen. Such a phenomenon is generally called a submarine phenomenon.

  In consideration of the above circumstances, the present invention can positively change the angle of the waist belt in the direction effective for preventing the submarine phenomenon at the time of a vehicle collision, thereby improving the safety. An object is to provide a restraining device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a waist belt that is stretched from side to side on a waist part of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat and that restrains the occupant's waist part by coupling both ends to anchor parts at the lower left and right sides of the occupant. In the occupant restraint device having the above, a lowering mechanism is provided for lowering at least one end of the waist belt downward from a steady position during operation.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the tongue attached to one end of the waist belt is detachably coupled to at least one of the left and right anchor portions via a connecting member. A buckle is provided, and the lowering mechanism is configured to lower the buckle downward.

  The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the pull-down mechanism is configured to pull down at least one of the left and right anchor portions downward.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the vehicle has an occupant seating position detecting means for detecting the seating position of the occupant, and the occupant seating position detecting means makes the occupant seating position more than a predetermined position. Control means for operating the pull-down mechanism when it is detected that the vehicle is in the front is provided.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, there is provided a collision prediction detection means for predicting and detecting a vehicle collision, and the pulling-down mechanism when a collision of the vehicle is predicted and detected by the collision prediction detection means. It has the control means which operates.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the occupant seating includes an occupant seating position detection unit that detects a seating position of the occupant and a collision prediction detection unit that predicts and detects a vehicle collision. And a control means for operating the pull-down mechanism when the position detection means detects that the seating position of the occupant is ahead of a predetermined position and the collision prediction detection means detects a collision of the vehicle. .

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, an airbag is installed in the front lower portion of the seat cushion of the seat, and the airbag is inflated and expanded by filling with high-pressure gas when the vehicle suddenly decelerates. The front seat surface of the seat cushion is raised to prevent the occupant seated on the seat from moving forward, and the lowering mechanism is an airbag of the waist airbag device. It is comprised as what operate | moves in conjunction with expansion | swelling expansion | deployment operation | movement of this.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the lower belt is provided with a lowering mechanism that lowers at least one end (or both) of the waist belt from the normal position during operation, the posture where the occupant lies down (the waist is shifted forward). Even if a vehicle collision occurs while sitting in a comfortable position, the waist belt angle on the pelvis of the occupant can be adjusted to prevent the submarine phenomenon by pulling the end of the waist belt downward. Therefore, it is difficult to cause a phenomenon in which the waist belt is detached from the hipbone, thereby improving the safety of the occupant.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the buckle engaged with the tongue of the waist belt belt is configured to be able to be lowered, it is not always necessary to provide a structure for pulling down the anchor portion. For example, when the member that connects the buckle and the anchor portion is configured by webbing, the buckle can be lowered by connecting a member for lowering in the vicinity of the buckle of the webbing, and the lowering mechanism can be simplified.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the lowering mechanism is configured to lower at least one (or both) of the left and right anchor portions downward, the pulling direction of the end portion of the waist belt can be reduced. The angle can be changed stably.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the pulling-down mechanism is configured to operate when the seating position of the occupant is ahead of the predetermined position, it is possible to exhibit accurate restraint performance according to the seating posture of the occupant. .

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the collision of the vehicle is predicted and detected, the pulling-down mechanism is configured to operate, so that accurate restraining performance can be exhibited in an emergency.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the seating position of the occupant is ahead of the predetermined position and the collision of the vehicle is predicted and detected, the pull-down mechanism is configured to operate. Depending on the posture, it can demonstrate accurate restraint performance in an emergency.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the pull-down mechanism is configured to operate in conjunction with the inflating and deploying operation of the airbag of the lumbar airbag device, so that the occupant is prevented from moving forward by the lumbar airbag device. The submarine phenomenon can be effectively avoided by a synergistic effect with the reliable restraining action of the waist by lowering the end of the waist belt.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a vehicle occupant restraint device according to a first embodiment, wherein (a) shows an initial state before operation, and (b) shows a state at the time of operation.

  In the figure, 1 is a rear seat, 2 is a seat cushion, and 3 is a seat back. The seat 1 is equipped with a three-point seat belt device with anchors (anchor points) at the upper part of one shoulder of the seated occupant H (upper left shoulder in the figure) and the left and right lower parts of the occupant H. Has been. The anchor part at the upper shoulder of the occupant H is called the first anchor part, the lower anchor part on the same side is called the second anchor part, and the lower anchor part on the opposite side is called the third anchor part. Only 14 is visible.

  The seat belt (webbing) 10 of the three-point seat belt device includes a shoulder belt 11 that is bridged obliquely in front of the chest from one upper part on the left and right sides of the occupant H to the other lower part, and the other from one side on the left and right sides. A waist belt 12 that is stretched over the waist to the side, and an upper end portion of the shoulder belt 11 is coupled to a first anchor portion (a position that cannot be seen in the drawing) of the upper shoulder of the occupant H, An end portion on the same side of 12 is coupled to a second anchor portion (a position not visible in the figure) on one side of the left and right lower portions of the occupant H. Then, the tongue 17 connected to the shoulder belt 11 and the waist belt 12 is attached to the third anchor part 14 on the other side of the lower left and right sides of the occupant H via a connecting member (wire, webbing, etc.) 16. By being inserted into and engaged with the seat belt 10, the seat belt 10 functions to restrain the chest and waist of the occupant H and prevent the occupant H from being thrown forward in the event of a vehicle collision.

  In practice, the upper end portion of the shoulder belt 11 and the end portion of the waist belt 12 on the same side are wound around a retractor (not shown) via the first and second anchor portions. It also has normal elements such as a pretensioner that tensions the seat belt in an emergency.

  In the passenger restraint device of the present embodiment, in addition to the above-described seat belt device, a buckle 15 that engages one end of the waist belt 12 is shown in (a) at the time of a vehicle collision (or during sudden deceleration). A lowering mechanism M1 for lowering from the steady position to the lower position shown in (b) is provided.

  As the mechanism M1 for lowering the buckle 15 downward, for example, a mechanism for rotating the buckle 15 clockwise with the anchor portion 14 as a fulcrum, or a mechanism for forcibly lowering the connecting member 16 in the vicinity of the buckle 15 or the like. Can be adopted. When the buckle 15 is pulled down to the lower position shown in FIG. 5B by the pulling mechanism M1, as shown by the arrow Y1, the end of the waist belt 12 is pulled down together with the buckle 15, and the angle of the waist belt 12 with respect to the hip bone (the waist belt relative to the horizontal position). 12) is an angle B larger than the initial angle A. That is, the waist belt 12 is hung at a more standing angle with respect to the hip bone of the occupant H.

  In this occupant restraint device, when a vehicle collision occurs while the occupant H is seated in a lying position (an easy posture with the waist shifted forward), the pulling mechanism M1 operates to move the buckle 15 to a lower position. By doing so, the end of the waist belt 12 is pulled downward. The angle of the waist belt 12 on the hip bone of the occupant H changes from the initial angle A to an angle B effective to prevent the submarine phenomenon, so that the phenomenon that the waist belt 12 is detached from the hip bone is less likely to occur. As a result, the restraint safety of the occupant H is improved.

  FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic explanatory diagrams of the vehicle occupant restraint device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 2A shows an initial state before operation, and FIG. 2B shows a state at the time of operation. In the first embodiment, for example, the case where the end portion of the waist belt 12 is lowered to the lower position by rotating the buckle 15 downward with the anchor portion 14 as a fulcrum is shown. However, the passenger of the second embodiment In the restraint device, a mechanism that directly moves the position of the anchor portion 13 on the side opposite to the side where the buckle 15 is provided as the lowering mechanism M2 that pulls down the end portion of the waist belt 12 is employed.

  When the anchor portion 14 is moved directly downward in this manner, the angle of the waist belt 12 that hangs on the hip bone of the occupant H can be changed to an angle D that is larger than the initial angle C. Therefore, a vehicle collision occurs in a state where the occupant H is seated in a lying posture (an easy posture with the waist shifted forward), the pulling mechanism M2 is activated, and the anchor portion 13 is moved to the lower position. The end of the waist belt 12 is pulled downward, and the angle of the waist belt 12 on the pelvis of the occupant H changes from the initial angle C to an angle D effective to prevent the submarine phenomenon, so that the waist to the waist The phenomenon that the belt 12 comes off is difficult to occur, and as a result, the restraint safety of the occupant H is improved.

  In addition, the anchor part 13 of the waist belt 12 is pulled downward, so that it also serves as a pretensioner that rapidly increases the tension of the waist belt 12, so that the waist belt 12 is more strongly applied to the waist. For this reason, the effect that the waist belt 12 becomes more difficult to come off from the hip bone can be expected. Of course, the above mechanism can be combined with a conventional pretensioner.

  Further, the mechanism M2 for pulling down the anchor portion 13 may be at least on one side, but if possible, the left and right anchor portions 13, 14 including the anchor portion 14 on the buckle 15 side (see FIG. 1) are simultaneously moved downward. Most preferably, it is configured.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of the vehicle occupant restraint device of the third embodiment, where (a) shows an initial state before operation, and (b) shows a state at the time of operation.

  This occupant restraint device includes a waist airbag device in addition to the seat belt device described above. The lumbar airbag device includes, for example, a metal-made airbag 20 in the front lower portion of the seat cushion 2 of the seat 1, and inflates and deploys the airbag 20 by filling high-pressure gas when the vehicle suddenly decelerates. The front seat surface of the cushion 2 is raised to prevent the occupant seated on the seat 1 from moving forward.

  A pulling-down mechanism for the buckle 15 is provided so as to operate in conjunction with the inflating and deploying operation of the airbag 20 of the airbag device. This pull-down mechanism is mainly configured by a control cable 30 that transmits a deployment operation of the airbag 20 as a pull-down operation of the buckle 15. The control cable 30 has one end 31 coupled to the upper end that is displaced maximum when the airbag 20 is deployed, the other end 32 is coupled to the connecting member 16 in the vicinity of the buckle 15, and the middle is guided movably by the guide means 34. As the airbag 20 is deployed, the control cable 30 is pulled and the buckle 15 is pulled down.

  In this occupant restraint device, when the vehicle collides forward, the airbag 20 is inflated and deployed, and the front seat surface of the seat cushion 2 is raised, so that the occupant seated on the seat 1 is prevented from moving forward. The At the same time, as the control cable 30 moves in the direction of arrow Y3, the buckle 15 is pulled down below the steady position, the angle of the waist belt 12 on the hip bone changes, and the waist belt 12 is unlikely to come off the hip bone. The submarine phenomenon is effectively avoided by the synergistic effect of the action of restraining the forward movement of the occupant by the waist airbag device and the reliable restraining action of the waist by lowering the end of the waist belt 12.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a vehicle occupant restraint device according to a fourth embodiment. The vehicle seat 1 is equipped with a three-point seat belt device and a lowering mechanism M that pulls down the end of the waist belt 12. The pulling mechanism M may be of any type, but for example, an actuator is operated by a signal from a control means (ECU) 50 to pull down the end of the waist belt 12.

  Detection signals are input from the two types of detection means 51 and 52 to the control means 50. One is an occupant seating position detection means 51, and the other is a collision prediction detection means 52. The occupant seating position detection means 51 detects that the occupant H is seated on the seat 1 with the waist shifted forward beyond a predetermined position, and the collision prediction detection means 52 detects the vehicle collision. That is, what is used in a normal airbag system or the like can be used. The control means 50 detects when the collision prediction detection means 52 detects the possibility of a collision, and the occupant seating position detection means 51 detects that the occupant H is seated with the waist shifted forward beyond a predetermined position. Then, the lowering mechanism M is operated by giving a drive signal. When no collision occurs, the lowering mechanism M can be returned to the original position and can be operated repeatedly.

  According to this occupant restraint device, when the seating position of the occupant is ahead of the predetermined position and the collision of the vehicle is predicted and detected, the pull-down mechanism operates to pull down the end of the waist belt 12, Depending on the seating posture of the occupant H, it is possible to exhibit accurate restraint performance only in an emergency.

  In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the case where the lower end portion of the waist belt is pulled down and the mechanism is operated using the deployment operation of the waist airbag device is shown. However, other airbag devices such as knee airbags are used. You may comprise so that it may operate | move in response to an apparatus, and you may comprise so that a pulling-down mechanism may be operated using the operating energy of the apparatus which carries out emergency operation at the time of other vehicle collisions, such as a pretensioner. Of course, only the pull-down mechanism may be operated independently of the airbag device or other mechanisms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is an outline explanatory drawing of the crew member restraint device for vehicles of a 1st embodiment of the present invention, (a) shows the initial state before operation, and (b) shows the state at the time of operation. It is a general | schematic explanatory drawing of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus for vehicles of 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (a) is the initial state before operation | movement, (b) has shown the state at the time of operation | movement. It is outline | summary explanatory drawing of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus for vehicles of 3rd Embodiment of this invention, (a) has shown the initial state before operation | movement, (b) has shown the state at the time of operation | movement. It is outline | summary explanatory drawing of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus for vehicles of 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Seat 2 Seat cushion 10 Seat belt 12 Lumbar belt 13, 14 Anchor part 15 Buckle 16 Connecting member 17 Tang 20 Air bag 30 Control cable (lowering mechanism)
M, M1, M2 Pull-down mechanism H Crew

Claims (7)

In an occupant restraint device having a waist belt that restrains the occupant's lumbar part by being bridged to the left and right on the lumbar part of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat and being coupled to the anchor part at the lower left and right of the occupant ,
An occupant restraint device comprising a pulling-down mechanism for pulling down at least one end of the waist belt from a steady position during operation.   A buckle that removably couples a tongue attached to one end of the waist belt via a connecting member to at least one of the left and right anchor portions is provided, and the pulling mechanism is The occupant restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the occupant restraint device is configured to lower the buckle downward.   The occupant restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the pulling mechanism is configured to pull down at least one of the left and right anchor portions downward.   And a control means for operating the pull-down mechanism when the occupant seating position detecting means detects that the occupant's seating position is ahead of a predetermined position. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the occupant restraint device is provided.   4. A collision prediction detection means for predicting and detecting a vehicle collision, and a control means for operating the pull-down mechanism when a vehicle collision is predicted and detected by the collision prediction detection means. The occupant restraint device according to any one of the above.   An occupant seating position detecting means for detecting the seating position of the occupant and a collision prediction detecting means for predicting and detecting a collision of the vehicle, and the occupant seating position detecting means detects that the seating position of the occupant is ahead of a predetermined position. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a control unit that activates the pull-down mechanism when a collision of a vehicle is detected and detected by the collision prediction detection unit. An air bag is installed in the front lower portion of the seat cushion of the seat, and when the vehicle suddenly decelerates, the front seat surface of the seat cushion is raised by filling the high pressure gas and inflating and deploying the airbag, and seated on the seat A waist airbag device that prevents the occupant from moving forward, and the pull-down mechanism is configured to operate in conjunction with the inflation and deployment of the airbag of the waist airbag device. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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