JP2007022416A - Occupant crash protection device for passenger seat of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain a head part of an occupant at an early stage while reducing the capacity of a bag member. <P>SOLUTION: The bag member 14 for a passenger seat 2 is set so that a height position of a lower end when it is expanded and developed and in a state where external force does not work comes to be on the upper side of a roughly lower end position of a rib part R of the occupant J of an average figure seated on the passenger seat 2 (a range 20 to 30cm above a hip point HP of the occupant J). A seat belt device 30 has a pretensioner mechanism 40 to give tensile force to a belt 32 to restrain a chest part of the occupant J when frontal collision is predicted (a load limiter to generate strong resistance in drawing out the belt 32 at high speed also does) to restrain forward movement of the occupant J. It is possible to provide a knee bag member 51 to lift up a seat cushion front end part 45a of the passenger seat 2 upward by an actuator 47 and to be expanded and developed in the neighborhood of knees of the occupant J to restrain downward movement of the expanded and developed bag member 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a passenger protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle.

  In vehicles (especially automobiles), it is common to provide an air bag device for protecting passengers in the event of a collision (especially during a frontal collision), and this type of air bag device is also widely used for passenger seats. ing. The airbag device for a passenger seat houses a folded bag member and an inflator serving as a gas pressure supply source for the bag member in a portion corresponding to the front of the passenger seat of the instrument panel, so that a vehicle collision occurs. When predicted or when a collision is actually detected, by operating the inflator, the bag member that has received the gas pressure from the inflator is inflated and deployed in front of the passenger seat.

The space between the passenger seat and the instrument panel is quite large. Therefore, when the bag member is inflated and deployed, the size of the bag member in the vertical direction is usually quite large so as to be in the height range of the upper body of the occupant when no external force is applied, as shown in Patent Document 1. (The lower end of the inflated and deployed bag member is positioned near the occupant's knee, and the upper end of the bag member is positioned near the top surface of the head). Thus, if the passenger seat bag member is large (large capacity), the time required to inflate and deploy becomes long. In order to reduce the capacity of the bag member, as shown in Patent Document 2, the size of the bag member when inflated and deployed is directed to the vicinity of the abdomen of the occupant seated in the passenger seat when no external force is applied. What is set as described above is disclosed. More specifically, in the one shown in Patent Document 2, the lower end of the inflated and deployed bag member is set to a height position near the occupant's knee, while the height position of the upper end of the bag member is about the occupant's chin. Although it is height, it is inflated and deployed in a state where it is not directed to the chest of the occupant.
JP-A-2-303948 JP-A-8-72655

  However, in the case of reducing the capacity of the bag member as shown in Patent Document 2, the chest and head of the passenger seated in the passenger seat are largely separated from the inflated and deployed bag member in the front-rear direction. From the viewpoint of restraining the head of the occupant by the inflated and deployed bag member after the head of the occupant has moved considerably forward and restraining the head early. There will still be points to be improved.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to protect a passenger's seat for a passenger seat of a vehicle that can restrain a passenger's head at an early stage while reducing the capacity of a bag member. To provide an apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following as a first solution. That is, as described in claim 1 in the claims,
A folded bag member and an inflator serving as a supply source of gas pressure to the bag member are housed in a portion corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel, and the inflator is activated in association with a vehicle collision. In the passenger seat occupant protection device for a vehicle, the bag member being inflated and deployed forward of the passenger seat
When the bag member is inflated and deployed and the external force does not act, the lower end height position is above the substantially lower end position of the rib portion in the average body type occupant seated in the passenger seat. Set,
An occupant movement suppression means is provided for suppressing forward movement of an occupant seated in the front passenger seat at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle.
It is like that.

  According to the above solution, since the lower end of the bag member when inflated and deployed is in a limited range from the substantially lower end position of the rib portion of the occupant to the upper portion, the bag member has a reduced capacity, This is preferable for restraining the head of the passenger at an early stage. Further, since the bag member is inflated and deployed at a high position, the occupant's head can be reliably restrained. In addition to the above, since the forward movement of the occupant is suppressed by the occupant movement suppression means at the time of a frontal collision, the impact from the occupant applied to the inflated and deployed bag member can be reduced, and the bag member has a small capacity. Even if it is changed, the impact can be sufficiently mitigated.

Preferred embodiments based on the above solution are as set forth in claims 2 and 3 in the claims. That is,
The occupant movement suppression means includes a belt that restrains at least the chest of an occupant seated in the passenger seat, and a seat belt device that includes a load limiter that generates resistance against high-speed withdrawal of the belt; Then, the set value for the resistance of the road limiter is set so that the amount of forward movement of the passenger's occupant's chest is 310 mm or less when the vehicle collides forward from the traveling state at approximately 56 km / h. (Corresponding to claim 2). In this case, the forward movement of the occupant can be suppressed by a simple configuration in which the set value of the load limiter in the seat belt device is made stronger than before.

  The occupant movement restraining means includes a belt that restrains at least the chest of the occupant seated in the passenger seat, and a pretensioner mechanism that applies a tensile force to the belt when a forward collision is predicted. (Claim 3). In this case, the forward movement of the occupant can be suppressed by a simple configuration using the pretensioner mechanism in the seat belt device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following as a second solution. That is, as described in claim 4 in the claims,
A folded bag member and an inflator serving as a supply source of gas pressure to the bag member are housed in a portion corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel, and the inflator is activated in association with a vehicle collision. In the passenger seat occupant protection device for a vehicle, the bag member being inflated and deployed forward of the passenger seat
When the bag member is inflated and deployed and the external force does not act, the lower end height position is above the substantially lower end position of the rib portion in the average body type occupant seated in the passenger seat. Set,
Bag movement restraining means for restraining the lower end portion of the inflated and deployed bag member from moving downward using the movement of the passenger seated in the front passenger seat that occurs during a frontal collision is provided.
It is like that.

  According to the above solution, since the lower end of the bag member when inflated and deployed is in a limited range from the substantially lower end position of the rib portion of the occupant to the upper portion, the bag member has a reduced capacity, This is preferable for restraining the head of the passenger at an early stage. Further, since the bag member is inflated and deployed at a high position, the occupant's head can be reliably restrained. In addition to the above, since the bag member that has been inflated and deployed is restrained from being moved downward by the bag movement restraining means at the time of a frontal collision, the situation in which the bag member to which an impact from the occupant is escaping is restrained downward is prevented. Thus, it is preferable to sufficiently reduce the impact on the passenger by the bag member.

A preferred mode based on the above two solution methods is as set forth in claims 5 and 6 in the claims. That is,
The bag movement suppressing means is a tilt-up mechanism that lifts the front end portion of the seat cushion of the passenger seat upward during a frontal collision (corresponding to claim 5). In this case, at the time of a frontal collision, the front end of the passenger seat cushion is tilted upward, so that the passenger's occupant's knee is forcibly lifted upward, and the lifted knee causes expansion. The downward movement of the deployed bag member is suppressed.

  A knee air having a knee bag member in which the bag movement suppressing means is housed in a low position corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel and is inflated and deployed from at least the knee of the passenger in the front passenger seat at the time of a front collision. It is set as the bag apparatus (corresponding to claim 6). In this case, the bag member inflated and deployed at the high position is received near the knee of the passenger on the passenger seat via the knee bag member inflated and deployed at the low position, and the downward movement is suppressed. . Of course, the knee bag member is also preferable for protecting the vicinity of the passenger's passenger's knee.

Assuming the first and second solution methods above,
The bag member is set so that the height position of the lower end when it is inflated and deployed and no external force is applied is 20 cm to 35 cm above the hip point of the occupant seated in the passenger seat. (Corresponding to claim 7). In this case, the lower end position of the bag member when inflated and deployed can be specified with reference to the hip point of the occupant.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to restrain the occupant's head at an early stage while reducing the capacity of the bag member, and to sufficiently reduce the impact.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an instrument panel extending in the vehicle width direction, and an airbag device E is accommodated in the instrument panel 1 in a front portion 1 a corresponding to the front of the passenger seat 2. Yes. The airbag device E has a casing 10, and the casing 10 is fixed to a steering support member 12 as a vehicle body strength member extending in the vehicle width direction via a bracket 11. As shown in FIG. 2, an occupant seated in the passenger seat 2 is indicated by a symbol J, and this occupant J is assumed to have an average figure (average figure in an American adult male), and its hip point is indicated by a sign HP. In addition, the lower end position of the ribs (at the lower end position of the thoracic vertebra—the position of the twelfth thoracic vertebra) is indicated by a symbol R.

  An inflator 13 serving as a gas pressure generation source and a folded bag member 14 are accommodated in the casing 10. The casing 10 is opened substantially upward, and a weakened portion (corresponding to a dashed line in FIG. 2) 15 is formed along the upper opening edge of the casing 10 in the instrument panel 1. When a forward collision of the vehicle is predicted or when a forward collision is actually detected, the inflator 13 is activated (detonation), and the bag member 14 folded by the generated gas pressure is inflated. By the expansion of the bag member 14, the weakened portion 15 formed in the instrument panel 1 is broken, and the bag member 14 is deployed in the vehicle interior.

  The bag member 14 inflated and deployed in the passenger compartment is in a state as shown in FIG. That is, the inflated and deployed bag member 14 has a front end that is in contact with the front window glass 21 in a long range in the vertical direction, and an upper end of the bag member 14 near the upper end of the head of the passenger J seated on the passenger seat 2. The height position is set to be slightly higher than the lower end position R of the ribs of the occupant J. As described above, the lower end position of the bag member 14 inflated and deployed in the vehicle interior is considerably higher than the conventional position, but the lower end position is specified by the height from the hip point HP of the occupant J. Is set at a position 20 cm to 35 cm higher than the hip point HP (in FIG. 2, the length indicated by the symbol L is 20 cm to 35 cm, and a horizontal line passing through the lower end position of the inflated and deployed bag member 14 is Indicated by the symbol HL). The upper limit height position of the lower end position of the inflated and deployed bag member 14 is set to be in the vicinity of the occupant J's lower sternum position S from the viewpoint of protecting the occupant J's head and chest. preferable.

  A seat belt device 30 is provided for the passenger J in the passenger seat 2. The seat belt device 30 is a three-point system as is known. That is, the seat belt device 30 includes two outer fixing portions 31 (one fixing portion is not shown) fixed to the vehicle body at a low position on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the passenger seat 2 and the two outer fixing portions. The belt 32 is provided between the portions 31 and the inner fixing portion 33 is fixed to a lower position of the vehicle body on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the passenger seat 2. A buckle 34 is slidably attached to the belt 32, and a tongue 35 to which the buckle 34 is detachably connected is attached to the inner fixing portion 33. The middle of the belt 32 passes through an intermediate holding portion 36 provided at a high position of the vehicle body on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the passenger seat 2. When such a seat belt device 30 is attached to the occupant J, the belt 32 extends in the vehicle width direction at the waist of the occupant J (constraint of the lumbar region), and the shoulder from the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the occupant J extends from the shoulder to the chest. It extends so as to cross diagonally across the top and bottom (restraint of the chest).

  In the seat belt device 30, a pretensioner mechanism 40 that houses the belt 32 in the outer fixing portion 31 when a collision is predicted is housed in one outer fixing portion 31. In the embodiment, the pretensioner mechanism 40 is configured by a motor that rotationally drives the belt winding roller provided in the outer fixing portion 31 in the winding direction (storage direction). Since the three-point seat belt device 30 provided with the pretensioner mechanism 40 is well known in the art, further detailed description is omitted.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system related to a forward collision, and U in the figure is a control unit (controller) configured using a microcomputer. The controller U receives a signal from a collision sensor S1 that detects a forward collision and a signal from a distance sensor S2 that detects a distance from the preceding vehicle. The collision sensor S1 is, for example, an acceleration sensor, and the control unit U obtains a speed from the detected acceleration, and activates the airbag device E when the speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The distance sensor S2 includes, for example, a transmitter that transmits a detection wave (for example, an infrared ray or a millimeter wave) forward and a receiver that receives the detection wave (a reflected wave thereof). The distance to the front obstacle is detected (measured) by measuring the time until the reflected wave is received. The control unit U controls the inflator 13 and the pretensioner mechanism 40 as will be described later.

  Next, the control content of the control unit U will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4. In the following description, Q indicates a step. First, in Q1, after signals from the sensors S1 and S2 are input, it is determined in Q2 whether the possibility of a frontal collision is large (high). This determination includes, for example, a relative distance from the preceding vehicle (front obstacle) detected by the distance sensor S2, and a relative speed approaching the front obstacle obtained by calculating a change in the detected relative distance. Therefore, the magnitude of the possibility of a forward collision is determined.

  When the determination at Q2 is YES, the pretensioner mechanism 40 is operated at Q3. In other words, the belt 32 is pulled into the outer fixing portion 31 by the pretensioner mechanism 40, and the passenger seat occupant J is prevented from moving forward (the passenger J is strongly pressed against the passenger seat back 46). Retention). After this Q3 or when the determination of Q2 is NO, at Q4, it is determined whether or not a forward collision has actually occurred by looking at the signal from the collision sensor S1. When the determination in Q4 is YES, in Q5, the inflator 13 is activated and the bag member 14 is inflated and deployed in the vehicle interior.

  If the determination in Q4 is NO, whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the time when the determination in Q2 was YES in Q6 (the time when it was determined that the possibility of a forward collision was great) It is determined whether or not. If the determination in Q6 is NO, the process returns to Q4. If YES in Q6, it is determined in Q7 that the forward collision has been avoided, the operation of the pretensioner mechanism 40 is released, and the strong restraint by the belt 32 of the passenger occupant J is released. (Return to the normal state in which the belt 32 can be slowly pulled out from the outer fixing portion 31).

  Here, at the time of a frontal collision, the bag member 14 is inflated and deployed into the passenger compartment by the process in Q5, and when the head of the occupant J moves forward toward the forward leaning state due to the frontal collision, The part is restrained by the bag member 14 inflated and deployed. Since the bag member 14 is inflated and deployed at an early stage due to the reduced capacity and the bag member 14 is inflated and deployed at a high position, the head of the occupant J is restrained to the bag member 14 early and reliably. Thus, the impact is effectively mitigated. In particular, the pretensioner mechanism 40 is actuated by the processing of Q3, and the passenger seat occupant J is strongly restrained by the belt 32, so that the passenger seat occupant J (upper body) largely moves forward during a frontal collision. (Slightly forward leaning) will be suppressed. Suppressing the forward movement of the passenger occupant J also means that the shock to be absorbed by the inflated and deployed bag member 14 can be reduced, which is more preferable in terms of mitigating the impact on the passenger occupant J. It will be a thing.

  As the seat belt device 30, instead of or in addition to the pretensioner mechanism 40, the set value of the load limiter function can be changed to a large value. That is, a resistance force is generated in the outer fixing portion 31 when the belt 32 is suddenly pulled in the pull-out direction, and the magnitude of the resistance force becomes a set value by the load limiter. Then, the setting value of the load limiter that has been about 3N can be changed to a large value such as 4N. By setting the setting value of this road limiter to 4N, when the vehicle collides forward while traveling at 56 km / h, the forward movement amount of the passenger occupant J can be 310 mm or less (in practice, more It can be preferably 300 mm or less).

  The mode shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention, and is adopted instead of or in addition to changing the set value of the pretensioner mechanism 40 or the load limiter described above to a large value. Can do. First, at least the front end portion 45a of the passenger seat cushion 45 can be lifted upward from a normal use position (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2) by an electromagnetic or hydraulic actuator 47. The seat cushion 45 may be driven so as to be inclined so that the front end portion 45a is lifted upward. At the time of a front collision or a prediction of a front collision, the front end 45a is lifted, so that the knee of the passenger occupant J is lifted upward. The bag member 14 inflated and deployed in the passenger compartment is moved downward by receiving an external force from the passenger occupant J that is turned forward by a forward collision, but the knee of the passenger occupant J lifted upward is the bag. Since it is located immediately below the member 14, the downward movement of the bag member 14 is suppressed, and the impact relaxation by the bag member 14 can be surely performed (the escape of the bag member 14 to the lower side is prevented). It is received by the seat cushion 45 through the occupant J's knee). The above-described lifting of the front end 45a may be performed at Q3 in FIG. 4, and when a collision is not actually detected, the lifted front end 45a can be returned to a normal low position at Q7 in FIG. That's fine.

  As another embodiment of the present invention, a knee airbag device 50 is used. That is, the knee airbag device 50 is provided in the instrument panel 1 at a position corresponding to the front of the passenger seat 2 and at a low position. The knee airbag device 50 itself has a casing fixed to the vehicle body, an inflator mounted in the casing, and a folded knee bag member. Indicated by The capacity of the knee bag member 51 is sufficiently smaller than the capacity of the bag member 14. The inflated and deployed position of the knee bag member 51 in the passenger compartment is a range extending from the shin part of the passenger occupant J to above the knee, but the upper end position of the inflated and deployed knee bag member 51 is inflated and deployed. The lower position of the bag member 14 is slightly lower.

  At the time of a forward collision, the bag member 14 is inflated and deployed in the vehicle interior at a high position, while the knee bag member 51 is inflated and deployed at a low position in the vehicle interior (in Q5 of FIG. 4, the bag member 14 and the knee bag member 51 Is inflated and deployed-actuation of the inflator for inflation and deployment)). The knee bag member 51 restrains the vicinity of the knee of the passenger occupant J from moving forward, and protects the lower part from the knee of the passenger occupant J. On the other hand, since the upper end of the knee bag member 51 is located near the lower end of the bag member 14, it is received by the knee bag member 51 that the bag member 14 tries to move downward, and particularly via the knee bag member 51. It is suppressed by being received near the knee of passenger occupant J. In FIG. 2, the wavy line shows the occupant J in the front-turned posture and the bag member 14 in a deformed state by receiving the occupant J, but when the external force from the occupant J is received, the bag member 14 is displaced downward. The intended bag member 14 is supported from below by the inflated and deployed knee airbag 51 (also supported from below in the vicinity of the occupant J's knee indicated by a one-dot chain line).

  Such a knee bag member 51 can be provided in place of or in addition to the lifting of the front end portion 45a of the seat cushion 45 described above. This is preferable in order to prevent the movement of. Of course, in addition to the provision of the knee bag member 51, the pretensioner mechanism 40 described above can be provided or the set value of the load limiter can be increased. In addition to the knee airbag member 51, an ottoman (not shown) for supporting the occupant J's calf upward may be provided in front of the front end of the seat cushion.

  Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and can be appropriately changed within the scope described in the scope of claims. For example, the invention includes the following cases. The height position of the upper end of the inflated bag member 14 can be set to a position higher than the head (the upper end) of the occupant J within a range where no external force is applied, but it is intended to reduce the capacity as much as possible. From the viewpoint, as shown in the embodiment, it is preferable to keep the height to the vicinity of the head (the upper end) of the passenger J. Of course, the object of the present invention is not limited to what is explicitly stated, but also implicitly includes providing what is substantially preferred or expressed as an advantage.

The perspective view when the instrument panel part of the vehicle to which this invention was applied is seen from the vehicle interior side. The partial cross-section simplified side view of FIG. The block diagram which shows the example of a control system used for this invention. The flowchart which shows the example of control of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Instrument panel 1a: Front part (position corresponding to the front of the passenger seat)
2: passenger seat 13: inflator 14: bag member 15: weakening portion 30: seat belt device 32: seat belt 40: pretensioner mechanism (or load limiter)
45: Seat cushion 45a: Front end (of the seat cushion) 46: Seat back 47: Actuator (for lifting the front end of the seat cushion)
50: Knee airbag device 51: Knee bag member J: Crew (average body shape)
HP: Hip point R: Crew lower end position

Claims (7)

A folded bag member and an inflator serving as a supply source of gas pressure to the bag member are housed in a portion corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel, and the inflator is activated in association with a vehicle collision. In the passenger seat occupant protection device for a vehicle, the bag member being inflated and deployed forward of the passenger seat
When the bag member is inflated and deployed and the external force does not act, the lower end height position is above the substantially lower end position of the rib portion in the average body type occupant seated in the passenger seat. Set,
An occupant movement suppression means is provided for suppressing forward movement of an occupant seated in the front passenger seat at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle.
An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle. In claim 1,
The occupant movement suppression means includes a belt that restrains at least the chest of an occupant seated in the passenger seat, and a seat belt device that includes a load limiter that generates resistance against high-speed withdrawal of the belt; Then, the set value related to the resistance of the road limiter is set so that the amount of forward movement of the passenger's occupant's chest is 310 mm or less when the vehicle collides forward from the traveling state at approximately 56 km / h. An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle, characterized in that: In claim 1,
The occupant movement restraining means includes a belt that restrains at least a chest of an occupant seated in a passenger seat, and a pretensioner mechanism that applies a tension to the belt when a forward collision is predicted. An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle, characterized in that A folded bag member and an inflator serving as a supply source of gas pressure to the bag member are housed in a portion corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel, and the inflator is activated in association with a vehicle collision. In the passenger seat occupant protection device for a vehicle, the bag member being inflated and deployed forward of the passenger seat
When the bag member is inflated and deployed and the external force does not act, the lower end height position is above the substantially lower end position of the rib portion in the average body type occupant seated in the passenger seat. Set,
Bag movement restraining means for restraining the lower end portion of the inflated and deployed bag member from moving downward using the movement of the passenger seated in the front passenger seat that occurs during a frontal collision is provided.
An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle. In claim 4,
The passenger seat occupant protection device for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein the bag movement suppressing means is a tilt-up mechanism that lifts the front end portion of the seat cushion of the passenger seat upward during a frontal collision. In claim 4,
A knee air having a knee bag member in which the bag movement suppressing means is housed in a low position corresponding to the front of the passenger seat in the instrument panel and is inflated and deployed from at least the knee of the passenger in the front passenger seat at the time of a front collision. An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle, characterized in that the device is a bag device. In claim 1 or claim 4,
The bag member is set so that the height position of the lower end when inflated and deployed and no external force is applied is 20 cm to 35 cm above the hip point of the occupant seated in the passenger seat. ,
An occupant protection device for a passenger seat of a vehicle.

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