JP2008222200A - Occupant restraint system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance shock absorbing performance while restraining an occupant body. <P>SOLUTION: An occupant restraint system 100 comprises a hard holding member 2 formed of a hard material such as a metal and a hard resin, and an inflating member 4 constituted of a bag body. The hard holding member 2 is opposite to a waist part or a thigh part of an occupant seated on a seat with a predetermined space therebetween. When a pressurized fluid is fed inside the bag body of the inflating member 4, the bag body is inflated, and the inflating member 4 is inflated from the hard holding member 2 and abutted on the waist part or the thigh part of the occupant M to restrain the occupant M. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an occupant restraint device that restrains an occupant seated in a seat.

  As an occupant restraint device for restraining the occupant's body in the event of an emergency such as a vehicle collision, in addition to a general seat belt device, for example, the body is made by projecting a pad from a shoulder rest provided on a seat on which the occupant sits. An occupant restraint device configured to fix the vehicle has been proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  In the seat belt device, the occupant pulls out the webbing from the retractor device, engages the tongue provided on the webbing with the buckle, and wears the webbing. Thereby, a passenger is restrained by the seat.

In addition, an occupant restraint device using a pad has a storage rod provided inside the seat that is compressed by the occupant in an emergency such as a vehicle collision to generate air pressure or hydraulic pressure. The body is supposed to be fixed.
JP-A-2005-231612

  The occupant restraint device using the seat belt device and the pad can obtain a predetermined restraint performance by bringing the webbing or the pad whose shape does not change into contact with the occupant. In the future, there will be a demand for restraint performance that can absorb impact on the passenger's body.

  The objective of this invention is providing the passenger | crew restraint apparatus which can improve the absorption performance of an impact, restraining a passenger | crew's body.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first invention provides a hard holding member provided so as to face a waist or thigh of an occupant seated in a seat with a predetermined gap, and a bulge in the hard holding member. And a bulging member that comes in contact with and restrains the waist or thigh when bulging.

  In the first invention of the present application, the bulging member is provided on the hard holding member. When a collision or the like occurs, the bulging member bulges out from the hard holding member and can be restrained by contacting the seated occupant's waist or thigh. At this time, the bulging member bulges and deforms to absorb an impact with a wide pressure receiving area with respect to the occupant's body. That is, the impact absorption performance can be improved while restraining the occupant's body.

  A second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the bulging member is provided so as to bulge at a plurality of locations between the hard holding portion and the waist or thigh.

  Thereby, the bulging member is divided and arranged only at a position where the bulging member comes into contact with and restrains the body of the occupant, thereby enabling efficient bulging.

  A third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the bulging member abuts and restrains a side surface of the waist or thigh during the bulging.

  Thereby, the impact absorption performance can be improved while restraining the occupant's body against a collision from the side of the vehicle.

  According to a fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, the invention has a storage mechanism for storing the hard holding member.

  Thus, when the hard holding member is stored in the seat or the vehicle body of the vehicle, the occupant can smoothly get on and off the vehicle without being obstructed by the hard holding member.

  According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the storage mechanism is capable of adjusting a holding position of the hard holding member according to a physique or a seating position of the occupant.

  Thereby, according to a crew member's physique and a seating position, a swelling member can be arranged in a predetermined body part which should contact a swelling member.

  A sixth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the bulging member is configured to be able to repeat the bulging operation and a contracting operation which is the reverse operation. To do.

  Thus, even after a bulge operation once in a collision or the like, it can be used after being contracted again (not used up).

  A seventh invention is characterized in that, in the sixth invention, the bulging member has a contracting member made of a stretchable material for returning the bulging member to a shape at the time of contraction.

  Thus, the bulging member can be automatically returned to and maintained in the contracted shape except when the bulging operation is performed.

  According to an eighth invention, in any one of the first to seventh inventions, the invention has a pressure fluid generator that supplies a pressure fluid for expanding the bulging member.

  Accordingly, when the bulging member is formed of a bag body that bulges due to the inflow of compressed air (pressure fluid), the bulging operation can be performed quickly.

  A ninth invention is characterized in that, in the eighth invention, a fluid discharge mechanism capable of discharging the pressure fluid from the bulging member is provided.

  As a result, the pressure fluid can be quickly discharged from the bulging member in the bulging state and contracted.

  According to a tenth aspect, in the ninth aspect, the pressure fluid generator is capable of controlling supply and discharge of the pressure fluid to the bulging member in accordance with a vehicle state, collision prediction information, and the like. Features.

  Thus, even when the vehicle is not in a collision, for example, it can be used for alerting of drowsiness suppression, overspeed, etc., and other notifications by bulging and contracting to a small extent during normal driving.

  In an eleventh aspect based on the ninth or tenth aspect, the pressure fluid generator includes an inflator that supplies a combustion compressed gas generated by burning an internal ignition agent as the pressure fluid, and the pressure fluid. An air pump capable of supplying and sucking compressed air, a supply valve comprising an electromagnetic valve capable of opening and closing to switch between supply and stop of the compressed air from the air pump to the bulging member, and the bulging member A check valve comprising a solenoid valve capable of being opened and closed to prevent backflow of the combustion compressed gas or the compressed air from the swell to the air pump, and the combustion compressed gas or the compressed air from the bulging member to the outside air And an exhaust valve comprising an electromagnetic valve capable of opening and closing control for switching between discharge and stoppage.

  Thus, in the event of a collision, the combustion compressed gas from the inflator can be supplied to the bulging member to perform an instantaneous bulging operation, and during normal operation, the compressed air is supplied by the air pump and inflated by the intake air. The expansion member can perform a small expansion operation and a contraction operation, and can control the timing and supply amount when supplying compressed air from the air pump to the expansion member by controlling the opening and closing of the supply valve. In addition, by controlling the opening and closing of the check valve, even when the compressed air is supplied from the air pump to the bulging member, even if the air pressure in the bulging member exceeds the supply pressure of the air pump, the reverse inflow of air into the air pump is suppressed. Thus, the air pump can be prevented from being damaged, and the timing and the discharge amount when the compressed air is discharged from the inside of the bulging member can be controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the exhaust valve.

  In a twelfth aspect according to any one of the eighth to eleventh aspects, the pressure fluid generator is provided below the seat.

  As a result, the pressure fluid generating device can be arranged in a space below the seat that is not accessed by the occupant, and a wider space in the vehicle that the occupant normally accesses can be secured.

  In a thirteenth aspect based on the ninth aspect, the fluid discharge mechanism is formed on the bulging member, and the bulging member has an outflow speed less than a supply speed of the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid generator. It has a vent hole capable of leaking the pressure fluid from the inside.

  As a result, after the bulging member is held in a predetermined bulging state at the time of a collision and the occupant is restrained, the compressed air inside the bulging member is continuously leaked so as to avoid excessive restraint, and a natural contraction operation is performed. be able to.

  In a fourteenth aspect based on any one of the eighth to twelfth aspects, the flow path is arranged in at least a part of the flow path of the pressure fluid between the pressure fluid generator and the bulging member. It has the deformation | transformation distribution part which can be changed, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Thereby, even in the case of a structure in which the hard holding member provided with the bulging member can be deformed or accommodated, the flow function in the flow path of the pressure fluid can be maintained corresponding to the change in the shape.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the absorption capability of an impact can be improved, restraining a passenger | crew's body.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall schematic structure of the passenger restraint apparatus of the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, the occupant restraint device 100 is for restraining an occupant M seated on a seat 1 provided in a vehicle or the like when a vehicle collision occurs.

  That is, the occupant restraint device 100 includes a hard holding member 2 made of a hard material, such as a metal or a hard resin (e.g., can take a reaction force when the bulging member 4 described later is bulged), and the bulging member 4. have.

  A total of two hard holding members 2 are provided on the left and right sides of the occupant M, respectively. In this example, each of the rigid holding members 2 has a substantially “heavy” cross-sectional shape that substantially conforms to the thigh shape of the seated occupant M, and the distal end side (occupant's crotch side) is relative to the proximal end side. It has a tapered shape. Further, the base end portion 2a is rotatably supported by an appropriate part (seat portion 1L in this example) of the seat 1 by a rotation support member (storage mechanism) 3 such as a hinge.

  When the vehicle stops and the occupant M gets on and off, the hard holding member 2 is located on the side of the seat portion 1L (opposite to the crotch side of the occupant M) with the rotation support member 3 as a rotation center. It is rotated downward (together with the bulging member 4 in a non-bulged state) (see arrow A in FIG. 1) to be in a state of being stowed (stored state) so as not to obstruct getting on and off. After the occupant M is seated, the hard holding member 2 is rotated upward from the retracted state in the opposite direction to the above and faces the waist or thigh of the seated occupant M through a predetermined first gap. To a state (holding state).

  2 is an arrow view from the X direction in FIG. 1 showing the installation configuration of the distal end portion of the hard holding member 2 and the bulging member installed therein. In FIG. 2, the bulging member 4 is provided so as to bulge on the occupant M side (the lower surface side facing the waist or thigh) of the hard holding member 2. At this time, it may be provided so as to protrude on the surface of the hard holding member 2 as in the example shown in the normal state (when not bulging), or may be provided so as to be accommodated in the hard holding member 2. In any case, at the time of non-inflation, like the rigid holding member 2, the bulge member 4 also has a predetermined second gap (the above-mentioned second gap) with respect to the waist or thigh of the occupant M in the state where the occupant M is seated. It is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than one gap, or may be slightly larger.

  In the example of the present embodiment, the bulging member module 5 constituting the bulging member 4 is provided on the plane on the occupant M side (the lower side in the drawing) of the hard holding member 2 by the fastening of the bolt 6, so that the hard holding It is connected to a pressure fluid generator 8 (not shown in FIG. 2; see FIG. 4 to be described later) via a fluid pipe (pressure fluid flow path) 7 disposed inside the member 2.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration of the bulging member module 5, FIG. 3 (a) is a diagram showing the overall appearance, and FIG. 3 (b) is an exploded view. In FIG. 3, the bulging member module 5 is supplied with an outer plate 10 which is generally rectangular in shape and formed with bolt holes 9 for installation at both ends, and pressurized fluid (for example, compressed gas) or the like inside. A bulging body main body 11 constituted by a swellable bag body (in a non-bulging state contracted in the figure), and a substantially rectangular shape inserted into the bulging body main body 11 The inner plate 12 is constituted.

  Locking holes 13 are formed at four corners of the inner plate 12, and fixing rods 14 are provided in the outer plate 10 at positions corresponding to the locking holes 13. With the inner plate 12 inserted into the bulging body main body 11, the fixing rods 14 of the outer plate 10 are inserted into the respective locking holes 13 and tightened (the protruding heads of the respective fixing rods are broken). Or the bulging body main body 11 and the outer plate 10 are combined. In this state, the bulging body main body 11 is sandwiched and fixed by the outer plate 10 with a wide surface area of the inner plate 12.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram conceptually showing the configuration of the pressure fluid generator 8 that supplies the pressure fluid to the bulging member 4 installed on the hard holding member 2 as described above and the connection configuration of the fluid piping 7 that connects them. FIG. In FIG. 4, the pressure fluid generator 8 is disposed below the seat portion 1 </ b> L of the seat 1. The pressure fluid generator 8 has a central pipe 15, and an inflator that supplies a compressed combustion gas for rapidly expanding (expanding and expanding) the expansion member 4 as a pressure fluid to the central pipe 15. 16, a pressure gauge 17 that measures the fluid pressure in the central pipe 15, an exhaust valve (fluid discharge mechanism) 18 that communicates with the outside air, and an air pump 21 that communicates sequentially from the central pipe 15 via the check valve 19 and the supply valve 20. And are connected.

  The exhaust valve 18, the check valve 19, and the supply valve 20 are electromagnetic valves that can be controlled to open and close to switch between an open state that allows the flow of the pressure fluid and a closed state that blocks the flow by inputting a control signal. The stop valve 19 is configured to allow only the flow of pressure fluid from the air pump 21 side to the central piping side 15 even in the closed state. The air pump 21 is capable of supplying compressed air as a pressure fluid and forcibly inhaling the compressed air.

  The central pipe 15 leads to the two fluid pipes 7 through the inside of the seat portion 1L of the seat 1, and each of the branched fluid pipes 7 passes through the inside of each of the hard holding members 2. It is connected in communication. In addition, in the example of this embodiment, in order to make each bulging body main body into a sufficient bulging state, the pressure fluid of a capacity | capacitance of about 2-10L (liter) is each required. Further, in the vicinity of the rotation support member 3 constituted by a hinge or the like, each fluid pipe 7 is constituted by a deformable flow part 22 having a bellows structure made of a flexible material, and the rotation support member 3 described above. It is possible to change the arrangement of the flow path of the pressure fluid by being deformed according to the rotation of the hard holding member 2 with the center of rotation.

  FIG. 5 is a control block diagram showing a control system of the passenger restraint apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 5, an impact sensor that detects an impact when the colliding object B collides with an appropriate location of the vehicle body A on which the occupant M rides, for example, an acceleration sensor 31 and a distance for measuring the distance between the colliding object B and the vehicle body A. A sensor such as a radar sensor 32 is provided, and each of the sensors 31 and 32 is connected to a control unit 33.

  The control unit 33 is connected to each of the exhaust valve 18, the check valve 19, and the supply valve 20 so as to be capable of opening and closing, and controls the start of combustion for generating expansion gas inside the inflator 16. Connected to the air pump 21 so as to control the supply and intake of compressed air, and connected to the pressure gauge 17 so as to detect the pressure of the pressure fluid in the central pipe 15.

  In FIG. 5, when another vehicle B approaches the vehicle body A from the side of the vehicle body, the vehicle B is detected by the radar sensor 32. Based on the signal from the radar sensor 32, the position of the vehicle B, the approaching speed, etc. are measured by the control unit 33, thereby determining the possibility of collision.

  When the control unit 33 determines that the possibility of a collision is high, the air pump 21 repeats supply and intake of compressed air in a short cycle to cause the bulging member 4 to pulsate (shake in small increments). Thus, the vibration caused thereby is transmitted to the waist and thighs of the occupant M, so that the possibility of a collision is noticed. This state is maintained until the possibility of collision of the vehicle B becomes small.

  When the bulging member 4 is caused to pulsate in this way, the compressed air from the air pump 21 is closed with the exhaust valve 18 closed and the check valve 19 and the supply valve 20 opened. The bulging member 4 is caused to pulsate by repeating the bulging operation due to supply and the contraction operation due to intake. At this time, the control unit 33 suppresses excessive supply and intake of compressed air based on the air pressure in the central pipe 15 detected by the pressure gauge 17 (that is, the supply pressure of the compressed air to each bulging member 4). (See FIG. 4).

  In the case where the bulging body main body 11 itself of the bulging member 4 is provided with a contracting member for returning to the contracted shape as in a modified example to be described later, the air pump 21 performs an intake operation. Even if not, the bulging member 4 can be pulsated (details will be described in a later-described modification).

  On the other hand, in FIG. 5, when the vehicle B collides with the vehicle body A, the impact is detected by the control unit 33 via the acceleration sensor 31. Then, the igniting agent of the inflator 16 is ignited by the control unit 33, thereby generating combustion compressed gas. The combustion compressed gas is ejected from the central pipe 15 through the fluid pipes 7 into the bulging members 4, whereby the bulge body 11 of each bulging member 4 is a rigid holding member as shown in FIG. 6. The occupant M is restrained by coming in contact with the waist and thigh of the seated occupant M. At this time, the bulging member 4 in the bulging state can absorb an impact with a wide pressure receiving area with respect to the occupant's body.

  In this way, when the bulging member 4 is rapidly bulged, the exhaust valve 18, the check valve 19, and the supply valve 20 are all closed in the pressure fluid generator 8, and the bulging member 4 is generated from the inflator 16. The combustion compressed gas is directly introduced into the bulging member 4 to perform the bulging operation. During normal operation without operating the pressure fluid generator 8, the exhaust valve 18, the check valve 19, and the supply valve 20 are all closed.

  As described above, in the occupant restraint device of the present embodiment, when a collision or the like occurs, the bulging member 4 bulges from the hard holding member 2 and contacts the waist or thigh of the seated occupant M. The occupant M can be restrained by touching. At this time, the bulging member 4 can bulge and deform to absorb an impact with a wide pressure receiving area with respect to the body of the occupant M. That is, the impact absorbing performance can be improved while restraining the occupant M's body.

  In addition, since the passenger | crew restraint apparatus of this embodiment is used together with the well-known airbag provided in a steering handle, a console panel, etc., it can restrain with a wider pressure receiving area with respect to the passenger | crew's M in various directions. Further, the shock absorbing performance can be further improved.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the bulging member 4 abuts on the body of the occupant M by being provided so as to be bulged at a plurality of locations between the hard holding member 2 and the waist or thigh. The bulging member 4 is divided and arranged only at the restraining position, and efficient bulging becomes possible.

  In the present embodiment, each bulging member 4 is disposed so as to abut on the front of the waist of the occupant M or the upper surface of the thigh at the time of bulging. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 7, a bulging member 23 may be provided that is arranged so as to abut against and restrain the side surface of the waist or thigh when bulging. Thereby, the impact absorption performance can be improved while restraining the occupant M's body against a collision from the side of the vehicle.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the rotation support member 3 is provided to store the hard holding member 2, when the hard holding member 2 is stored in the seat 1 or the vehicle body of the vehicle, the occupant M can get on and off the vehicle smoothly without being obstructed by the hard holding member 2.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the rotation support member 3 can adjust the holding position of the hard holding member 2 according to the physique of the passenger | crew M and a seating position. In the example of the present embodiment, the vertical position of the bulging member 4 can be adjusted according to the size of the thigh of the occupant M. As a result, the bulging member 4 can be arranged at a predetermined body part with which the bulging member 4 should be brought into contact.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the bulging member 4 is configured to be able to repeat the bulging operation and the converse operation, which is the reverse operation, so that even after a bulging operation once in a collision, etc. It can be used after being contracted again.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, by having the pressure fluid generator 8 which supplies the pressure fluid for expanding the bulging member 4, the bulging member 4 bulges by inflow of compressed air (pressure fluid). In the case of a bag or the like, the bulging operation can be performed quickly.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, by having the exhaust valve 18 which can discharge | emit pressure fluid from the bulging member 4, pressure fluid can be rapidly discharged | emitted from the bulging member 4 which became the bulging state, and it can be made to shrink | contract. it can.

  In the present embodiment, the pressure fluid generator 8 can control the supply and discharge of the pressure fluid to and from the bulging member 4 in accordance with the state of the vehicle and the collision prediction information, so that it can be used even during a collision. For example, by bulging and contracting to a small extent during normal operation, it can also be used for alerting for drowsiness suppression, overspeed, etc., notification of a high possibility of collision, and other notifications.

  In the present embodiment, the pressure fluid generator 8 includes an inflator 16, an air pump 21, a supply valve 20, a check valve 19, and an exhaust valve 18. Thereby, the combustion compressed gas from the inflator 16 can be supplied to the bulging member 4 at the time of a collision and the like, and an instantaneous bulging operation can be performed, and the compressed air can be supplied by the air pump 21 during the normal operation. The expansion and contraction of the expansion member 4 can be performed by intake air, and the supply valve 20 is controlled to be opened and closed, and the timing and supply amount when compressed air is supplied from the air pump 21 to the expansion member 4. The air pressure in the bulging member 4 exceeds the supply pressure of the air pump 21 when the compressed air is supplied from the air pump 21 to the bulging member 4 by controlling the opening and closing of the check valve 19. In this case, it is possible to prevent the air pump 21 from being damaged by suppressing the reverse inflow of air into the air pump 21, and to discharge the compressed air from the inside of the bulging member 4 by controlling the opening and closing of the exhaust valve 18. It is possible to control the timing and the discharge amount when.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the pressure fluid generator 8 is provided below the seat, so that the pressure fluid generator 8 is disposed in a space below the seat that the occupant M does not access. However, it is possible to secure a wider space in the vehicle that can be accessed at normal times.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the deformation | transformation distribution | circulation part 22 which can change the arrangement | positioning of the said flow path is provided in at least one part of the flow path (fluid piping 7) of the pressure fluid between the pressure fluid generator 8 and the bulging member 4. Have. Thereby, even if it is the structure where the hard holding member 2 provided with the bulging member 4 can be deformed or housed, the flow function in the flow path of the pressure fluid can be maintained corresponding to the change in the shape.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and technical idea of the present invention. Hereinafter, such modifications will be described in order.

(1) When the bulging member is slid sideways FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the overall schematic structure of the passenger restraint device 200 according to this modification (however, the bulging member 4 is contracted; the same applies to FIG. 10 described later). It is a figure and is a figure equivalent to the said FIG. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. In each figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. In FIG. 9, the illustration of the fluid piping 7 connected to the bulging member 4 is omitted to avoid the complexity of the illustration.

  8 and 9, each of the rigid holding members 202 is composed of two members, that is, an outer front end portion 202a provided with the bulging member 4 and an inner base end portion 202b. In this example, the seated occupant M The outer front end 202a having a substantially “h” -shaped cross-section substantially conforming to the thigh shape overlaps on the outer side of the inner base end 202b (on the side opposite to the crotch side of the occupant M) and extends in the longitudinal direction (up and down in the figure) It is assembled to be movable in the direction). A gear 241 is provided at the upper end portion of the inner base end portion 202b (the end portion on the side overlapping the outer front end portion 202a), and the rack 242 is formed on the inner surface of the outer front end portion 202a. Is engaged. By rotating the gear 241 with a motor (not shown) or the like, the movement of the outer front end portion 202a can be automatically controlled, and the rotation amount of the gear 241 is detected by a sensor such as a potentiometer. It is also possible to grasp the movement position of the tip 202a.

  In addition, the inner base end portion 202b is rotatably supported on the side surface of the seat portion 1L of the seat 1 by a rotation support member 203 formed of a hinge at a central position in the longitudinal direction. An air cylinder 243 capable of controlling the protruding amount of the piston 243a by supplying compressed air from the air pump 21 and intake air is installed inside the seat 1L of the seat 1, and the piston 243a is disposed on the side surface of the seat 1L. Projecting in a direction in contact with the inner surface of the lower end portion of the inner base end portion 202b from the inner base end portion 202b (and the entire hard holding member 202 including the outer front end portion 202a) due to the protruding length of the piston 243a. A rotation limit position in a direction toward the outside (clockwise direction in FIG. 9) is defined.

  Then, when the vehicle stops and the occupant M gets on and off, the hard holding member 202 of this modified example moves the outer front end 202a downward from the state shown in FIG. Then, the piston 243a of the air cylinder 243 is retracted so that the entire hard holding member 202 is allowed to turn outward (see the arrow in FIG. 8), and the seat portion does not interfere with getting on and off as shown in FIG. It can be set as the state (accommodated state) by which most or all was accommodated in the side of 1L. After the occupant M is seated, the hard holding member 202 is deformed and rotated in the direction opposite to that described above from the stored state, and faces the waist or thigh of the seated occupant M via a predetermined first gap. To a state (holding state). Other than the above configuration and operation, the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment.

  In the above, the gear 241, the rack 242, the rotation support member 203, and the air cylinder 243 constitute a storage mechanism. Also in this modification, the same effect as the above embodiment is obtained.

(2) Case where the bulging member is rotated and stored in the front-rear direction FIG. 11 shows the overall schematic structure of the passenger restraint device 300 according to this modification (however, the contracted state of the bulging member 4; the same applies to FIG. 12 described later). FIG. 8 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 described above. Components equivalent to those in FIG.

  In FIG. 11, the hard holding member 302 is composed of two members, a distal end portion 302a and a proximal end portion 302b provided with the bulging member 4, and the distal end portion 302a and the proximal end portion 302b are composed of hinges. It is connected via a rotating joint member 302c so that it can be bent. Further, the base end portion 302b is pivotally supported on a rotation shaft 303 (the axial direction is substantially the left-right direction of the vehicle) provided on the side surface of the seat portion 1L of the seat 1, whereby the hard holding member 302 as a whole is supported. The vehicle can be rotated in the vehicle front-rear direction (lower left to upper right in FIG. 11) with the rotation shaft 303 as the rotation center. The rotation joint member 302c and the rotation shaft 303 can be fixed at an arbitrary bending angle and an arbitrary rotation angle by a latch structure (not shown).

  When the vehicle stops and the occupant M gets on and off, the hard holding member 302 of the present modification is arranged such that the distal end portion 302a and the proximal end portion 302b are arranged on a substantially straight line from the state shown in FIG. The tip 302a is rotated around the rotation joint member 302c as a rotation center to return the bending (see arrow B in FIG. 11), and the entire hard holding member 302 is in front of the seat 1L (lower left in FIG. 11). 11 (with the bulging member 4 in a contracted state) so as to be pivoted about the pivot shaft 303 (see arrow C in FIG. 11), so that it does not interfere with getting on and off as shown in FIG. It will be in the state (stored state) stored in the side space of the part 1L. After the occupant M is seated, the hard holding member 2 is rotated upward from the retracted state, and the distal end portion 302a and the base end portion 302b are bent and the lumbar portion of the seated occupant M or It will be in the state (holding state) which opposes the thigh via a predetermined first gap. Other than the above configuration and operation, the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment.

  In the above, the rotation joint member 302c and the rotation shaft 303 constitute a storage mechanism. Also in this modification, the same effect as the above embodiment is obtained.

(3) When the bulging member is slid and stored in the front-rear direction FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the overall schematic structure of the occupant restraint device 400 according to this modification (however, the deflated state of the bulging member 4; the same applies to FIG. 14 described later). It is a figure and is a figure equivalent to the said FIG.1, FIG.7 and FIG.11. Components equivalent to those in FIG.

  In FIG. 13, the hard holding member 402 is composed of a tip end portion 402a provided with the bulging member 4 and a moving air cylinder (housing mechanism) 451. The moving air cylinder 451 is substantially in front of the vehicle (FIG. The cylinder main body 451b is fixed to the side surface of the back portion 1B of the seat 1 in a posture in which the piston 451a protrudes toward the lower left side in FIG. And the front-end | tip part 402a is being fixed along the longitudinal direction in the edge part of piston 451a of the air cylinder 451 for a movement. The moving air cylinder 451 can control the protrusion amount of the piston 451a by supplying compressed air from the air pump 21 and intake air, and can also control the rotation of the piston 451a around its axis, and the protrusion amount and rotation angle of the piston 451a are shown in the figure. It can be arbitrarily fixed by a locking mechanism that does not.

  Then, when the vehicle stops and the occupant M gets on and off, the rigid holding member 402 of the present modified example rotates the piston 451a from the state shown in FIG. While turning (refer to the arrow D in FIG. 13) toward the occupant M's crotch side, the piston 451a is retracted and the tip end portion 402a moves substantially rearward (upper right direction in FIG. 13). Then, as shown in FIG. 14, it can be in a state of being accommodated in the vicinity of the side of the back portion 1B so as not to obstruct getting on and off (accommodated state). After the occupant M is seated, the hard holding member 402 is moved and turned from the retracted state in the opposite direction to the above-described direction, and the predetermined first gap is set against the waist or thigh of the seated occupant M. It will be in the state (holding state) which opposes via.

  Other than the above configuration and operation, the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment. Also in this modification, the same effect as the above embodiment is obtained.

(4) In the case where the bulging member is configured to be bulging / shrinking repeatable In the above, the reproducibility of the bulging / shrinking of the bulging member 4 has not been particularly taken into consideration, but is not limited thereto. That is, it may be configured such that it is once expanded by the inflow of the pressure fluid, then contracted by the discharge of the pressure fluid (including forced discharge, natural discharge or leakage), and can be used again.

  FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional view (however, a non-bulged state, ie, a contracted state) showing a schematic structure of a modified example of such a bulging member 4. FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view showing the bulging state, and corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. Components equivalent to those in FIG. 1 and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

  In FIG. 15 (a), in this example, the bulging member 4 according to the present modification sews two base fabrics 4a and 4b with the one side crease K1 and the other side crease K2 (see FIG. 15A). Alternatively, the bag body described above may be configured. A small-diameter vent hole 61 (a hole through which pressure fluid leaks) is formed in a part of one base cloth 4a. In addition, an elastic material (shrinking member) 4c made of an appropriate elastic material such as a spring or a mesh material is provided inside the bag body so as to connect the above-described attachment portions K1 and K2. For example, the stretchable material 4c has a natural length (the tension is 0 or close to it) in the state of FIG. Note that such a bulging member 4 may be covered with a cover C indicated by an imaginary line (not shown in FIG. 1 and the like).

  In this non-expanded (contracted) state, when the pressure fluid is generated from the pressure fluid generator 8 as described above at the time of occurrence of a vehicle collision (or at the time of prediction), the generated pressure fluid is supplied to the fluid piping. 7 is supplied to the internal space of the base cloth 4, 4 b, that is, the inside of the bag body, and the base cloth 4 a, 4 b is spread and the bag body bulges out from the hard holding member 2. FIG. 15B shows this bulging state.

  In FIG. 15 (b), in the bulging state, the base cloths 4a and 4b are pushed and spread as described above, so that the distance between the anchoring portions K1 and K2 is greatly increased. As a result, the stretchable material 4c provided so as to connect the attachment portions K1 and K2 is extended. Thereby, the tension | tensile_strength (restoring force) which is going to return to the state of Fig.15 (a) is added to the expansion-contraction material 4c (refer arrow F in the figure).

  Therefore, for example, when the supply of the above-mentioned pressure fluid is stopped (or decreased) and the pressure inside the bag body drops due to leakage through the vent hole 61 (see arrow G in the figure) (or the exhaust valve 18 is opened). When the pressure fluid in the bag body is exhausted through the fluid piping 7), the restoring force of the expansion / contraction material 4c acts. That is, when the stretchable material 4c is contracted to the original state, the distance between the fastening portions K1 and K2 is reduced, and the base fabrics 4a and 4b are folded as they are. As a result, the initial state shown in FIG. Return to the bulging / shrinking state.

  Note that the vent hole 61 does not hinder the rapid bulging operation of the bulging member 4 from the inside of the bulging member 4 at an outflow speed lower than the supply speed of the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid generator 8. It is formed with a small enough diameter to leak the pressure fluid.

  The stretchable material 4c may be provided outside the base fabrics 4a and 4b. 16 (a) and 16 (b) are cross-sectional views showing such other modifications, and correspond to FIGS. 15 (a) and 15 (b), respectively. Parts equivalent to those in FIG. 15 and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

  In FIG. 16A, in the bulging member 4 of the present modification, a bag body is configured by stitching two base cloths 4a and 4b with the fastening portions K1 and K2 (or bonding or the like). And the elastic material 4c is provided so that the said edge part of the said bag body may be folded so that the said adhesion part K1, K2 may adjoin, and the said adhesion part K1, K2 may be connected.

  In this non-expanded (contracted) state, as described above, pressure fluid was supplied to the internal space of the base fabrics 4 and 4b, and the folded outer edge portion was expanded (while stretching the elastic material 4c). Thereafter, the bag body bulges and bulges from the hard holding member 2. FIG. 16B shows this bulging state.

  In FIG. 16B, in the above-described bulging state, the bag body bulges as described above, so that the distance between the attachment portions K1, K2 is greatly increased. As a result, the stretchable material 4c provided so as to connect the attachment portions K1 and K2 is greatly stretched along the outer peripheral side of the base fabric on one side (in this example, the base fabric 4b).

  In this state, tension (restoring force) to return to the state of FIG. 16A is applied to the elastic member 4c (see arrow H in the figure). When the pressure inside the bag body is reduced, the elastic material 4c is contracted to the original state by the restoring force, so that the distance between the attachment portions K1 and K2 is reduced, and the bag body including the base cloths 4a and 4b is formed. As a result of the original folding, the original state shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, you may comprise said cover itself with an elastic material. 17 (a) and 17 (b) are cross-sectional views showing such other modifications, and correspond to FIGS. 15 (a) and 15 (b), respectively. Components equivalent to those in FIG. 15 and the like are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  In FIG. 17 (a), in the bulging member 4 of the present modification, a bag made of two base cloths 4a and 4b is covered with a cover (shrinking member) Co made of a stretchable material.

  In this non-expanded (contracted) state, as described above, the pressure fluid is supplied to the internal space of the base fabric 4, 4b (while the cover Co is expanded from the inner peripheral side), and the bag body expands, The hard holding member 2 bulges out. FIG. 17B shows this bulging state.

  In FIG. 17B, in the bulging state, the cover Co bulges as described above, so that the cover Co is greatly extended and spread along the outer peripheral side of the base fabrics 4a and 4b.

  In this state, a tension (restoring force) for returning to the state of FIG. 17A is applied to the cover Co (see broken line arrow I in the figure). When the pressure inside the bag body decreases, the cover Co is shrunk to the original state by the restoring force, and as a result, the bag body made of the base fabrics 4a and 4b is folded back to the original state. ) To the initial state (non-bulged, contracted state). In the case of this configuration, it is necessary to provide the vent hole 62 in the cover Co so that the pressure fluid leaking from the base cloth 4a and flowing into the cover Co is leaked from the vent hole 62.

  In these modified examples, the bulging member 4 has a stretchable material 4c or a cover Co made of a stretchable material for returning the bulged member 4 to the shape at the time of contraction, thereby performing a bulging operation. In other cases, the bulging member 4 can be automatically returned to the contracted shape and maintained.

  Further, in the present modification, the pressure fluid is discharged from the inside of the bulging member 4 at the outflow speed that is lower than the supply speed of the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid generator 8 as a configuration for discharging the pressure fluid. By having the vent hole 61 capable of leaking out, after the occupant M is restrained with the bulging member 4 in a predetermined bulging state at the time of a collision, the inside of the bulging member 4 is compressed so as to avoid excessive restraint. Air can be continuously leaked out and a natural contraction operation can be performed.

  When the bulging member 4 itself is provided with a contracting member (the expansion / contraction material 4c or the cover Co in the above modification) for returning to the contracted shape, the pressure fluid is generated as described above. The bulging member 4 can be pulsated without causing the air pump 21 of the apparatus 8 to perform an intake operation (see FIG. 4). Specifically, the supply valve 20 is opened, the check valve 19 is closed, and compressed air is always supplied from the air pump 21, and the exhaust valve 18 is closed so that the central pipe 15 and each fluid pipe are closed. 7 rises, and compressed air is caused to flow into each bulging member 4 to perform the bulging operation. At this time, even if the pressure in the central pipe 15 exceeds the supply pressure of the air pump 21, the backflow to the air pump 21 can be suppressed by the function of the check valve 19.

  In addition, the compressed air is exhausted with the exhaust valve 18 open, so that the internal pressure of the central pipe 15 and each fluid pipe 7 is lowered, and each bulging member 4 is caused by the tension of the contracting member of each bulging member 4. The contraction operation is performed. At this time, it is necessary to open the exhaust valve 18 widely so that the exhaust air can be exhausted more than the amount of compressed air supplied from the air pump 21.

  The control unit 33 then switches the opening and closing of the exhaust valve 18 based on the air pressure in the central pipe 15 detected by the pressure gauge 17 (that is, the supply pressure of the compressed air to each bulging member 4) (bulging operation and contraction). Adjust the timing for switching the operation.

  The specific configurations of the above-described embodiment and each modification do not strictly limit the contents of the present invention, and it is needless to say that details can be variously changed in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall schematic structure when an bulging member is in a contracted state, which is an occupant restraint device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an arrow line view from the X direction in FIG. 1 showing the installation structure of the front end side part of a hard holding member, and the bulging member installed there. It is a perspective view showing the detailed structure of a bulging member module, and is a whole external view and an exploded view. It is a schematic diagram which represents notionally the connection structure of the fluid piping connected with the structure of a pressure fluid generator. It is a control block diagram showing the control system of a passenger | crew restraint apparatus. It is an occupant restraint apparatus by one Embodiment, and is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a bulging member exists in a bulging state. It is a figure showing the structure which provided the two bulging members which each contact | abut to the upper surface and side surface of a passenger | crew's thigh at the time of bulging. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which slide-stores a bulging member to the side, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member exists in a holding | maintenance state. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view by the IX-IX line in FIG. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which accommodates a bulging member by sliding to a side, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member is in the accommodation state. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which rotates and accommodates a bulging member in the front-back direction, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member is in a holding state. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which stores a bulging member in the front-back direction, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member is in the accommodation state. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which stores the bulging member in the front-back direction, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member is in a holding | maintenance state. It is a passenger | crew restraint apparatus by the modification which slide-stores a bulging member in the front-back direction, Comprising: It is a perspective view showing the whole schematic structure in case a hard holding member is in the accommodation state. It is a transverse cross section showing the schematic structure of the modification which constituted the bulging member so that expansion and contraction could be repeated. It is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic structure of another modified example in which the bulging member is configured to be bulged / shrinkable repeatedly. It is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic structure of still another modification in which the bulging member is configured to be bulged / shrinkable repeatedly.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Seat 2 Hard holding member 3 Rotation support member (storage mechanism)
4 Expansion member 4c Stretch material (shrinkable member)
7 Fluid piping 8 Pressure fluid generator 16 Inflator 17 Pressure gauge 18 Exhaust valve (fluid discharge mechanism)
19 Check valve 20 Supply valve 21 Air pump 22 Deformation flow part 33 Control unit 61 Vent hole (fluid discharge mechanism)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Crew restraint device 200 Crew restraint device 202 Hard holding member 203 Rotation support member (storage mechanism)
241 Gear (storage mechanism)
242 Rack (storage mechanism)
243 Air cylinder (storage mechanism)
300 Occupant restraint device 302 Rigid holding member 302c Rotating joint member (storage mechanism)
303 Rotating shaft (storage mechanism)
400 Occupant restraint device 402 Hard holding member 451 Air cylinder for movement (storage mechanism)
M Crew Co cover (member for contraction)

Claims (14)

A hard holding member provided so as to face a waist or thigh of an occupant seated in a seat with a predetermined gap therebetween;
An occupant restraint device, comprising: a bulge member provided on the rigid holding member so as to be bulged and abutting and restraining the waist or thigh at the time of the bulge. The occupant restraint device according to claim 1,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the bulging member is provided so as to be bulged at a plurality of locations between the hard holding portion and the waist or thigh. The occupant restraint device according to claim 1 or 2,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the bulge member abuts and restrains the side surface of the waist or thigh at the time of the bulge. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An occupant restraint device having a storage mechanism for storing the hard holding member. The occupant restraint device according to claim 4,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the storage mechanism is capable of adjusting a holding position of the hard holding member according to a physique or a sitting position of the occupant. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the bulging member is configured to be able to repeat the bulging operation and a contracting operation that is the reverse operation. The occupant restraint device according to claim 6,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the bulging member includes a contracting member made of a stretchable material for returning the bulging member to a shape when contracted. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
An occupant restraint device comprising a pressure fluid generator for supplying a pressure fluid for bulging the bulge member. The occupant restraint device according to claim 8,
An occupant restraint device having a fluid discharge mechanism capable of discharging the pressure fluid from the bulging member. The occupant restraint device according to claim 9,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the pressure fluid generator is capable of controlling the supply and discharge of the pressure fluid to and from the bulging member in accordance with vehicle conditions and collision prediction information. The occupant restraint device according to claim 9 or 10,
The pressure fluid generator includes:
An inflator for supplying combustion compressed gas generated by burning an internal ignition agent as the pressure fluid;
An air pump capable of supplying and intake of compressed air as the pressure fluid;
A supply valve comprising an electromagnetic valve capable of opening and closing for switching between supply and stop of the compressed air from the air pump to the bulging member;
A check valve comprising a solenoid valve capable of opening and closing to suppress a backflow of the combustion compressed gas or the compressed air from the bulging member to the air pump;
An occupant restraint device comprising an exhaust valve comprising an electromagnetic valve capable of opening and closing to switch between discharging and stopping the combustion compressed gas or the compressed air from the bulging member to the outside air. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 8 to 11,
The occupant restraint device, wherein the pressure fluid generating device is provided below the seat. The occupant restraint device according to claim 9,
The fluid discharge mechanism includes a vent hole formed in the bulging member and capable of leaking the pressure fluid from the inside of the bulging member at an outflow speed lower than a supply speed of the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid generator. An occupant restraint device. The occupant restraint device according to any one of claims 8 to 12,
An occupant restraint device comprising a deformable flow part capable of changing an arrangement of the flow path in at least a part of a flow path of the pressure fluid between the pressure fluid generator and the bulging member.

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