JP2018043645A - Occupant restraint device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an occupant restraint device for a vehicle which suppresses a strong forward tilt of an upper body of an occupant at a collision of a vehicle, and can alleviate or eliminate a discomfort and an incongruity by avoiding the contact of a shoulder belt with a neck of a small occupant when the occupant is small in physique.SOLUTION: An occupant restraint device for a vehicle has a shoulder anchor 28 for supporting an upper end part of a shoulder belt 22A, moving means 100 for vertically moving the shoulder anchor 28, and a physique detection sensor 42 for detecting a physique of an occupant P seated on a seat. When it is determined that the occupant P is large in physique by the physique detection sensor 42 at the prediction of a collision of a vehicle, a control device 40 moves the shoulder anchor 28 upwardly before a collision, and when it is determined that the occupant P is small in physique by the physique detection sensor 42 at the prediction of the collision of the vehicle, the control device maintains a position of the shoulder anchor 28.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a three-point seat belt device for an automobile having moving means for moving a shoulder belt upward at the time of a vehicle collision or a collision prediction. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, the upper end of a shoulder belt is supported by a shoulder anchor, and the shoulder anchor is formed so as to be movable in the vertical direction along a shoulder anchor rail fixed to a pillar. When the vehicle collides or when a collision is predicted, the shoulder anchor is moved upward to move the shoulder belt upward relative to the occupant.

JP 2010-179726 A

  However, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the shoulder belt moves upward together with the shoulder anchor regardless of the physique of the occupant. Therefore, in the case of a large occupant, this apparatus moves the shoulder belt upward, thereby suppressing a strong forward tilt of the occupant's upper body during a collision. However, in this apparatus, even in the case of a small occupant, the shoulder belt moves upward, so that the shoulder belt contacts the occupant's neck, and the occupant may feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable.

  In view of the above fact, the present invention suppresses the strong forward tilt of the occupant's upper body at the time of a vehicle collision, and avoids contact of the shoulder belt to the small occupant's neck when the occupant is a small occupant. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle occupant restraint device that can reduce or eliminate discomfort and discomfort.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle occupant restraint device includes a three-point seat belt including a shoulder belt and a lap belt, a shoulder anchor that supports an upper end portion of the shoulder belt, and the shoulder anchor that moves in the vertical direction. Moving means, a physique detection sensor for detecting the physique of the occupant seated on the seat, and the shoulder anchor before the collision when the physique detection sensor determines that the occupant is large at the time of vehicle collision prediction. And a control device for maintaining the position of the shoulder anchor when the physique detection sensor determines that the occupant is small when the vehicle is predicted to collide.

  In the vehicle occupant restraint device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the shoulder belt has its upper end supported by a shoulder anchor, and the shoulder anchor is formed so as to be movable in the vertical direction by the moving means. On the other hand, this vehicle occupant restraint device has a physique detection sensor that detects the physique of the occupant seated on the seat and a control device that controls the moving means. Then, the control device moves the shoulder anchor according to the physique of the seated occupant at the time of collision prediction of the vehicle. First, when it is determined that the occupant seated by the physique detection sensor is large, the control device moves the shoulder anchor upward before the collision. Thereby, a large occupant's forward tilt is suppressed at the time of a collision. On the other hand, when it is determined that the occupant seated by the physique detection sensor is small, the control device maintains the position of the shoulder anchor. As a result, contact of the shoulder belt to the neck of the small occupant can be avoided, and discomfort and discomfort to the small occupant can be reduced or eliminated. In addition, the small occupant's forward tilt is suppressed during a collision.

  Here, “at the time of collision” refers to a case where the control device determines that a collision has occurred. “At the time of collision prediction” refers to a case where it is determined by the control device that a collision may occur.

  In addition, “large” for the physique of the seated occupant means a case where the occupant is larger than the standard physique. For example, a dummy doll (AM50) covering 50% from the smaller physique of an American adult male corresponds to the same figure. Also, “small” means a case that is smaller than the standard physique. For example, a dummy doll (AF05) covering 5% from the smaller physique of an American adult woman corresponds to the same figure.

  According to the vehicle occupant restraint device according to claim 1, a strong forward tilt of the occupant's upper body during a vehicle collision is suppressed, and when the occupant is a small occupant, the shoulder to the neck of the small occupant By avoiding contact with the belt, discomfort and discomfort can be reduced or eliminated.

It is the front view seen from the vehicle front side which shows the state where the big crew member sat down on the seat of the vehicle provided with the crew restraint device for vehicles concerning a 1st embodiment. It is an expanded sectional view of the shoulder anchor moving mechanism concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the front view seen from the vehicle front side which shows the state where the small crew member sat on the seat of the vehicle provided with the crew restraint device for vehicles concerning a 1st embodiment. It is an expanded sectional view of the shoulder anchor movement mechanism concerning a 2nd embodiment, and is a figure showing the state where a shoulder anchor is in a lower end. It is an expanded sectional view of the shoulder anchor moving mechanism concerning a 2nd embodiment, and is a figure showing the state where a shoulder anchor is in the upper end.

  The vehicle occupant restraint device according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The arrow FR in the figure indicates the front of the vehicle seat (vehicle front) to which the vehicle occupant restraint device is applied, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the seat, and the arrow RH indicates the right side of the seat (right of the vehicle). Is shown.

<First Embodiment>
A vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle seat 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as “seat 12”) and a vehicle pre-crash seat belt device 11 (hereinafter simply referred to as “seat”). Belt device 11 ”) and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 40 as a control device.

(Vehicle seat)
As shown in FIG. 1, the seat 12 includes a seat cushion 14 on which an occupant P is seated and a seat back 16 that supports the back of the occupant P. A headrest 18 that supports the head of the occupant P is provided at the upper end of the seat back 16.

  Here, the seat cushion 14 is configured by attaching a cushion material 14B on a seat cushion frame 14A serving as a skeleton member. The seat cushion frame 14A is fixed to a pair of left and right seat rails 31 provided on the floor. Thereby, the seat 12 is supported so as to be movable in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The cushion material 14B incorporates a weight detection sensor 42 therein. The weight detection sensor 42 is provided as a physique detection sensor that measures the weight of the occupant P (the load of the seated occupant P).

(Seat belt device)
In the present embodiment, a seat belt device 11 for restraining an occupant seated on the seat 12 is provided. The seat belt device 11 is a three-point seat belt including a shoulder belt 22A and a lap belt 22B. The seat belt device 11 includes a buckle 20, a webbing 22, a shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100, and a pretensioner (not shown). Hereinafter, the case of the occupant P seated on the right seat of the vehicle will be described as an example.

  The buckle 20 is provided on the seat cushion frame 14A. The buckle 20 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an engagement hole 20A is formed on the upper surface thereof. A tongue 24 inserted through the webbing 22 is engaged with the engagement hole 20 </ b> A of the buckle 20. Further, the buckle 20 is provided with a release operation section (not shown), and the engagement state between the buckle 20 and the tongue 24 can be released by operating the release operation section.

  The webbing 22 is a long belt-like belt for restraining the occupant P to the seat 12, and one end portion of the webbing 22 is wound around a spool 34 that constitutes a retractor 26 provided at a lower portion on the right side of the vehicle than the seat 12. It is hung. The webbing 22 extends from a retractor 26 disposed below the center pillar to the upper side of the vehicle, and is hung on a shoulder anchor 28 disposed on the center pillar above the vehicle from the shoulder of the occupant P. Further, the webbing 22 extends obliquely from the shoulder anchor 28 toward the buckle 20 toward the left side of the seat and the lower side of the seat. Further, the webbing 22 is folded back to the right side of the seat through the insertion hole 24 </ b> A of the tongue 24 engaged with the buckle 20. The other end portion of the webbing 22 is fixed to an anchor 30 disposed obliquely below the seat cushion 14.

  Here, in a state in which the tongue 24 is engaged with the buckle 20, the portion from the shoulder anchor 28 to the tongue 24 in the webbing 22 is the shoulder belt 22A, and the portion from the tongue 24 to the anchor 30 is the lap belt 22B. .

  The shoulder anchor 28 to which the webbing 22 is hung, in other words, the shoulder anchor 28 that supports the upper end portion of the shoulder belt 22A, is attached to the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 as shown in FIGS. The shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 is provided as a moving means for moving the shoulder anchor 28 in the vehicle vertical direction.

  The retractor 26 will be described in detail. The retractor 26 is disposed on the right side of the seat, and includes the spool 34 around which one end of the webbing 22 is wound as described above. The spool 34 is provided inside the retractor 26 and is disposed so as to be rotatable in the winding direction and the drawing direction of the webbing 22. Further, a motor (not shown) is connected to the spool 34, and by driving this motor, the spool 34 rotates in the winding direction and winds up the webbing 22. On the other hand, by pulling the webbing 22 in a no-load state where no voltage is applied to the motor, the spool 34 rotates in the pull-out direction, and the webbing 22 is pulled out.

  The retractor 26 is provided with a lock mechanism (not shown) that locks the rotation of the spool 34 in the pull-out direction. The lock mechanism has a conventionally known structure, and locks the rotation of the spool 34 when the vehicle is suddenly braked. As an example of this lock mechanism, in this embodiment, a lock mechanism provided with a lock lever is employed. In this structure, a gear that rotates integrally with the spool 34 is provided, and the rotation of the spool 34 in the pull-out direction is locked by engaging the lock lever with the gear during sudden braking of the vehicle. Further, by using a gear provided with ratchet teeth, the rotation of the spool 34 in the winding direction is not locked. Further, the spool 34 is configured to be released from the locked state by rotating the spool 34 in the winding direction.

(Shoulder anchor moving mechanism)
The shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 is disposed on the roof side of the center pillar on the right side of the seat, and is fixed to the center pillar by a bolt.

  FIG. 2 shows a shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 of the present embodiment. The shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 of this embodiment includes a frame 110, and a guide screw 122 is rotatably supported on an upper wall 112 and a lower wall 114 of the frame 110. A motor 140 for rotating the guide screw 122 is provided below the lower wall 114 of the frame 110.

  A rectangular block-shaped slider 124 is provided inside the frame 110. A female screw is formed from the upper surface to the lower surface of the slider 124, and a guide screw 122 is screwed into the female screw.

  Furthermore, a guide hole 132 that is a long hole extending in the vehicle vertical direction is provided in the left direction of the seat of the frame 110. A surface of the guide hole 132 in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed as a guide rail 130, and a slider 124 is supported so as to be movable in the vehicle vertical direction. A fixing pin 126 is fixed to the surface exposed from the guide hole 132 of the slider 124. A shoulder anchor 28 is rotatably supported on the fixing pin 126.

  As described above, in the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100, the slider 124 is moved in the vertical direction of the vehicle when the guide screw 122 is rotationally driven by the motor 140. A shoulder anchor 28 is attached to the slider 124, and the shoulder anchor 28 is moved in the vehicle vertical direction together with the slider 124. Supplementally, when the motor 140 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the shoulder anchor 28 moves upward in the vehicle. On the other hand, when the motor 140 is reversely driven, the shoulder anchor 28 moves downward in the vehicle. The movement of the shoulder anchor 28 in the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 is controlled by an ECU 40 described later.

  Here, control of movement of the shoulder anchor 28 includes manual control and pre-collision control. Manual control is control executed by the operation of the passenger P. The vehicle is provided with an adjustment switch (not shown), and the shoulder anchor 28 can be moved to a position desired by the passenger P when the passenger P operates the adjustment switch. The pre-collision control is a control that is executed regardless of the operation of the occupant P based on the determination result by the ECU 40. Details of the control will be described later.

  In this embodiment, the motor 140 directly drives the guide screw 122 to rotate. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the motor 140 may be driven to rotate via a reduction device.

(ECU)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 is electrically connected to an ECU 40 as a control device.

  A weight detection sensor 42, a collision sensor 44, and a collision prediction sensor 46 are electrically connected to the ECU 40. As described above, the weight detection sensor 42 is a sensor that measures the weight of the occupant P, and is built in the cushion material 14B. The weight detection sensor 42 can output a voltage corresponding to the load of the seated occupant P, for example. The collision sensor 44 is a sensor that detects a vehicle collision by acceleration (deceleration). For example, the collision sensor 44 includes a satellite sensor disposed on the left and right front side members and a floor ECU disposed on the floor in the vehicle interior. A floor sensor or the like is applicable. The collision sensor 44 is configured to output a collision signal when the host vehicle collides with another vehicle or an obstacle. The collision prediction sensor 46 is a sensor that predicts a vehicle collision. For example, a pre-crash sensor that predicts a collision with a collision object using a millimeter wave radar or a stereo camera is applicable. The pre-crash sensor is configured to output a collision prediction signal to the ECU 40 when there is a possibility that a collision between the host vehicle and a collision object (for example, another vehicle or an obstacle) occurs.

  The ECU 40 controls the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 based on signals input from the weight detection sensor 42, the collision sensor 44, and the collision prediction sensor 46.

(Function and effect)
Next, operations and effects of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As an operation of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment, the pre-collision control is executed according to the flow shown in the following (1) to (4).

(1) Determination Process Related to Collision or Collision Prediction The ECU 40 performs a determination related to collision or collision prediction. Specifically, when receiving a collision signal from the collision sensor 44, the ECU 40 determines that a collision has occurred. When the ECU 40 receives a collision prediction signal from the collision prediction sensor 46, the ECU 40 determines that a collision may occur.

(2) Determination process related to occupant physique Based on the output of the weight detection sensor 42, the ECU 40 determines the occupant P's physique, that is, whether the occupant P is a large occupant P1 or a small occupant P2. Specifically, first, the weight detection sensor 42 outputs a voltage corresponding to the load of the occupant P seated on the seat 12 to the ECU 40. The ECU 40 determines that the passenger is a large passenger P1 when the input voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and determines that the passenger is a small passenger P2 when the input voltage is equal to or lower than the predetermined threshold value.

  The determination method is not limited to the above case. For example, the ECU 40 may calculate the weight value of the occupant P from the input voltage, and determine the physique of the occupant P based on whether or not the value exceeds a threshold value.

  Moreover, although the timing of determination of the physique of the passenger | crew P in this embodiment is made when it is determined by ECU40 that a collision may generate | occur | produce, the timing of determination is not restricted to this. For example, the determination process may always be performed while the ignition is on.

(3) Operation determination process of shoulder anchor moving mechanism The ECU 40 determines whether or not to operate the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 based on the physique of the occupant P at the time of collision prediction. Specifically, when it is determined that there is a possibility of a collision, and when it is determined that the occupant P is a large occupant P1, the ECU 40 determines to operate the shoulder anchor movement mechanism 100. Then, based on the determination that the operation is to be performed, the ECU 40 outputs a signal for driving the motor 140 to rotate forward with respect to the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a possibility of a collision and when it is determined that the occupant P is a small occupant P2, the ECU 40 determines that the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 is not operated. In this case, the ECU 40 does not output a signal for driving the motor 140 to the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100.

(4) Operation of the shoulder anchor moving mechanism When the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 receives a signal for driving the motor 140 to rotate in the forward direction from the ECU 40 when the occupant P is a large occupant P1 at the time of a collision prediction, the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 The shoulder anchor 28 is driven to rotate and the shoulder anchor 28 is moved upward. Further, the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 does not receive any signal from the ECU 40 when the occupant P2 is a small occupant P2 at the time of collision prediction, so the motor 140 is not driven to rotate, and the position of the shoulder anchor 28 is maintained. .

  In the pre-collision control, if the occupant P1 is a large occupant P1 at the time of collision prediction, the shoulder anchor 28 moves upward in the vehicle, but if the collision is subsequently avoided, the ECU 40 moves the shoulder anchor 28 downward in the vehicle. Control to return to the original position. Specifically, if the collision signal is not received before the predetermined time elapses after the collision prediction signal is received in the ECU 40, the ECU 40 determines that the collision is avoided, and the motor 140 with respect to the shoulder anchor movement mechanism 100 is determined. A signal to drive the reverse rotation is output.

  As described above, in the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment, the shoulder anchor 28 is formed to be movable in the vehicle vertical direction by the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 that is a moving means. On the other hand, the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment is a control device that controls the weight detection sensor 42 that is a physique detection sensor that detects the physique of the occupant P seated on the seat 12 and the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100. ECU40. The ECU 40 controls the position of the shoulder anchor 28 according to the physique of the seated occupant P at the time of vehicle collision prediction.

  In addition, when it does not correspond to any of the time of collision and the time of collision prediction, that is, in the normal time, the occupant P moves the shoulder anchor 28 to a position desired by the occupant P by operating an adjustment switch (not shown). The shoulder belt 22A can be adjusted to the optimum position.

The vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment has the following effects.
That is, when it is determined that the occupant P seated on the seat 12 is a large occupant P1 at the time of collision prediction, the ECU 40 causes the shoulder anchor 28 to move upward in the vehicle as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Moved. When the shoulder anchor 28 is moved upward in the vehicle, the contact position of the shoulder belt 22A on the shoulder of the large occupant P1 moves from the arm side to the neck side, and the restraining position by the shoulder belt 22A is the upper and chest positions. Move closer to the center. As a result, the upper body of the large occupant P1 on the shoulder belt 22A due to the collision of the vehicle and the upper body is prevented from tilting strongly forward is suppressed, and the head of the large occupant P1 is prevented from moving toward the steering wheel or instrument panel. It is suppressed that it contacts.

Next, a state where the small passenger P2 is seated on the seat 12 is shown in FIG. The shoulder anchor 28 is located at the lower end. The contact position of the shoulder belt 22A on the shoulder of the small occupant P2 is already positioned on the neck side, and the restraining position of the small occupant P2 by the shoulder belt 22A is at the center of the chest. Therefore, when the shoulder anchor 28 is moved upward in the vehicle, the contact position of the shoulder belt 22A on the shoulder of the small occupant P2 moves from the neck side to the face side, and the restraining position of the small occupant P2 by the shoulder belt 22A is It will deviate from the center of the chest. Therefore, when it is determined that the occupant P seated on the seat 12 is the small occupant P2 at the time of collision prediction, the ECU 40 maintains the position of the shoulder anchor 28. Therefore, when the occupant P is a small occupant P2, the shoulder belt 22A is prevented from coming into contact with the neck and face, so that discomfort and discomfort to the small occupant P2 can be reduced or eliminated.
On the other hand, since the restraint position by the shoulder belt 22A remains at the center of the chest and does not change, the upper body of the small occupant P2 is restrained from riding on the shoulder belt 22A when the vehicle collides and the body is strongly tilted forward. Thus, the head of the small passenger P2 is prevented from coming into contact with the steering wheel or the instrument panel.
When a collision signal is detected by the collision sensor 44, the pretensioner is activated and the webbing 22 is forcibly wound.

<Modification>
In the present embodiment, the following modifications can be included.

In the present embodiment, the pre-collision control is performed at the time of collision prediction. In the first modification, the pre-collision control is performed when the collision is unavoidable, without performing the pre-collision control in the case of collision avoidance. Shaped to do.
In the case of this embodiment, the shoulder anchor 28 and the shoulder belt 22A may move regardless of whether the collision is predicted or not, and the operation is frequent. On the other hand, according to the first modification, the shoulder anchor 28 and the shoulder belt 22A move only when a collision is unavoidable, so that the large passenger P1 can be prevented from feeling annoying.

  In the second modification, the rotation speed of the motor 140 is changed by manual control and pre-collision control in the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100. Specifically, in the case of manual control, the motor 140 can be rotated at a low speed so that the occupant P can easily adjust the shoulder anchor 28. On the other hand, in the pre-collision control, the motor 140 is rotated at a high speed so as to move the shoulder anchor 28 upward before the vehicle collides.

  In the present embodiment, the physique of the occupant P is divided into two, a large occupant P1 and a small occupant P2. In the third modification, the physique of the determined occupant P is divided into several stages, The position of the shoulder anchor 28 was adjusted accordingly. For example, when the physique of the occupant P is divided into five stages, the position of the shoulder anchor 28 in the vehicle vertical direction can be adjusted in five stages. At the time of collision prediction, the shoulder anchor 28 can be moved to a position corresponding to the physique or the position of the shoulder anchor 28 can be maintained.

<Second Embodiment>
In the first embodiment, the shoulder anchor 28 is formed to be movable in the vehicle vertical direction by a shoulder anchor moving mechanism 100 that is a moving means by a motor. In contrast, the second embodiment is formed so as to be movable upward of the vehicle by a shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 that is a moving means using a gas generator. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be described.

(Shoulder anchor moving mechanism)
The shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 is disposed on the roof side of the center pillar on the right side of the seat, and is fixed to the center pillar with a bolt.

  4 and 5 are sectional views showing the configuration of the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 includes a main body part 210, a gas generation part 220, and a driving part 230. The main body part 210, the gas generation part 220, and the drive part 230 are arranged linearly in the vehicle vertical direction along the center pillar.

  The main body 210 is a box-shaped frame, and a rectangular block-shaped slider 212 is provided therein. One end of a wire 240 is fixed to the upper portion of the slider 212 via a connecting member 214.

  A long hole 216 extending in the vehicle up-down direction is provided on the left side surface of the main body 210. A fixing pin 218 is fixed to the surface exposed from the long hole 216 of the slider 212. A shoulder anchor 28 is rotatably supported on the fixing pin 218.

  A protruding piece 215 that protrudes inward from the inner wall of the main body 210 is provided near the upper end of the main body 210. The protruding piece 215 functions as a stopper when the slider 212 moves upward in the vehicle.

  The gas generation unit 220 includes a base 224 and a gas generator 222 attached to the base 224. The base 224 has the upper end of the main body 210 fixed to the lower part thereof. The base 224 has a cylinder mounting hole 223 formed in the upper portion thereof, and a lower end portion of a cylinder 232 described later is fitted into the cylinder mounting hole 223.

  A gas generator 222 as a gas generating means is fitted in a through hole 225 provided in a side portion of the base portion 224 on the vehicle rear side. The gas generator 222 contains a gas generating agent that is ignited to burn and generate gas instantaneously. Further, a gas passage part 226 is formed in the base part 224. The gas passage portion 226 is connected to the cylinder 232 through a gas passage hole 229 described later provided in the bottom portion of the cylinder mounting hole 223 and is connected to the gas generator 222 through an opening provided in the bottom portion of the through hole 225. In other words, the gas passage portion 226 forms a gas supply path by connecting the gas generator 222 and the cylinder 232.

  A protective cylinder 228 is provided inside the gas passage 226, and the wire 240 passes through the protective cylinder 228. Thereby, the wire 240 is protected from the heat of the gas generated in the gas generator 222. A flange is formed on the cylinder 232 side of the protective cylinder 228 and covers the bottom of the cylinder mounting hole 223. A gas passage hole 229 penetrating in the thickness direction is formed in the flange of the protective cylinder 228, and a gas supply path between the cylinder 232 and the gas passage portion 226 is formed.

  On the other hand, a wire passage hole 227 is provided below the base 224 (on the main body 210 side). One end of the wire passage hole 227 is connected to the gas passage portion 226, and the other end is opened at the outer surface of the base portion 224. The wire 240 passes through the wire passage hole 227 from the other end of the wire passage hole 227 and enters the protective cylinder 228 in the gas passage portion 226.

  Further, a packing 242 is provided at a connection portion between the gas passage portion 226 and the wire passage hole 227. The outer peripheral surface of the packing 242 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical recess provided in the base 224, and the inner peripheral surface of the packing 242 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the wire 240. Thereby, the space between the gas passage portion 226 and the wire passage hole 227 is sealed.

  The drive unit 230 includes a cylinder 232 and a piston 234. The cylinder 232 is formed in a cylindrical shape with both axial ends open. The piston 234 is accommodated inside the cylinder 232. The piston 234 has a piston main body 234A and a flange portion 234B disposed at the lower portion of the piston main body 234A. The piston body 234A has a frustum shape in which the outer diameter dimension gradually increases from one end side (the vehicle lower side) of the cylinder 232 toward the other end side (the vehicle upper side). Further, the outer dimension of the upper end portion of the piston main body 234 </ b> A is substantially equal to the inner diameter dimension of the cylinder 232. At the lower end of the piston main body 234 </ b> A, a flange portion 234 </ b> B whose outer dimension is substantially equal to the inner diameter dimension of the cylinder 232 is provided.

  As described above, the upper end portion of the piston main body 234 </ b> A and the flange portion 234 </ b> B are in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 232, and the piston 234 can slide between one end and the other end of the cylinder 232.

  Further, a ring-shaped groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 234B, and an O-ring 236 formed in a ring shape from a rubber material or a synthetic resin material having elasticity similar to that of a rubber material is fitted into the groove. ing. The O-ring 236 is in contact with the inner peripheral portion of the cylinder 232, and a portion between one end side and the other end side of the cylinder 232 is sealed by the O-ring 236.

  On the other hand, a plurality of clutch balls 237 are arranged at intervals with respect to the outer peripheral direction of the piston main body 234A between the upper end portion of the piston main body 234A and the flange portion 234B. The diameter of each clutch ball 237 is set to ½ or less of the difference between the inner diameter of the cylinder 232 and the outer diameter in the vicinity of the end of the piston body 234A on the flange portion 234B side. When the piston 234 moves from the other end side of the cylinder 232 to the one end side, each clutch ball 237 moves on the outer peripheral surface (slope) of the piston main body 234A due to inertia, and the clutch ball 237 moves to the outer periphery of the piston main body 234A. It is sandwiched between the surface and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 232. As a result, sliding of the piston 234 toward one end side (downward of the vehicle) of the cylinder 232 is restricted.

  The piston 234 is formed with a through hole 238 that penetrates both end surfaces of the piston 234 in the sliding direction. A wire 240 is inserted through the through hole 238. In addition, a cylindrical stopper 244 is provided on the top of the piston 234 in the wire 240. The distal end portion of the wire 240 inserted through the through hole 238 is fixed to the stop portion 244. The outer diameter of the stopper 244 is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 238. Therefore, the stop 244 restricts the wire 240 from falling out of the through hole 238.

  As described above, in the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 of the present embodiment, the piston 234 can be moved upward by the gas pressure generated by operating the gas generator 222. The piston 234 and the slider 212 are connected by a wire 240. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the piston 234 moves upward in the vehicle, the slider 212 and the shoulder anchor 28 connected to the slider 212 also move upward in the vehicle. Incidentally, the operation of the gas generator 222 is controlled by the ECU 40. This control is a pre-collision control that is executed based on the determination by the ECU 40. The ECU 40 is electrically connected to a weight detection sensor 42, a collision sensor 44, and a collision prediction sensor 46. Since these configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  Note that the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 of the present embodiment may be configured to manually move the shoulder anchor 28. For example, a mechanism for moving the wire 240 up and down separately from the piston 234 may be provided and controlled by the ECU 40. Further, for example, the slider 212 may be configured to be locked at several positions so that the occupant P can directly operate the slider 212.

(Function and effect)
Next, operations and effects of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.
As an operation of the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment, the pre-collision control is executed according to the flow shown in the following (1) to (4).

(1) Determination Process Related to Collision or Collision Prediction This is the same process as in the first embodiment, and will not be described.
(2) Determination process related to occupant physique This is the same process as in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

(3) Operation determination process of shoulder anchor movement mechanism The ECU 40 determines whether or not to operate the shoulder anchor movement mechanism 200 based on the physique of the occupant P at the time of collision or prediction of collision. Specifically, when it is determined that a collision has occurred or that a collision may occur, and when the occupant P is determined to be a large occupant P1, the ECU 40 determines to operate the gas generator 222. To do. Based on the determination that the operation is to be performed, the ECU 40 outputs a signal for operating the gas generator 222 to the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200. On the other hand, when it is determined that a collision has occurred or there is a possibility that a collision will occur, and when it is determined that the occupant P is a small occupant P2, the ECU 40 determines not to operate the shoulder anchor movement mechanism 200. . In this case, the ECU 40 does not output a signal for operating the gas generator 222 to the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200.

(4) Operation of the shoulder anchor moving mechanism When the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 receives a signal for operating the gas generator 222 from the ECU 40 when the occupant P is a large occupant P1 at the time of collision or at the time of collision prediction, the shoulder anchor movement mechanism 200 generates gas. Ignite the agent to generate gas. Then, the shoulder anchor 28 is quickly moved upward of the vehicle by the gas pressure of the gas generator 222 (see FIG. 5). Further, the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 does not receive any signal from the ECU 40 when the occupant P2 is a small occupant P2 at the time of collision or at the time of collision prediction, so the gas generator 222 does not operate and the position of the shoulder anchor 28 is Maintained (see FIG. 4).

  As described above, in the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present embodiment, the shoulder anchor 28 is formed to be movable upward of the vehicle by the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200 that is a moving means. The ECU 40 controls the position of the shoulder anchor 28 according to the physique of the seated occupant P at the time of vehicle collision or collision prediction.

  According to the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  That is, when the shoulder anchor is moved upward by the motor and the guide screw as in the first embodiment, when the motor is driven after the collision is detected, the shoulder anchor 28 is suitable for large passenger P1 until the collision. May not move to position. On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, when the vehicle cannot avoid a collision, the shoulder anchor can be quickly moved upward by the gas generator and the wire.

  In addition, as with the shoulder anchor moving mechanism 200, there are devices operated by a gas generator, such as the retractor 26 and the air bag system. If these devices are included in the vehicle occupant restraint device 10, the ECU 40 can control them at the same timing. That is, the occupant P can be restrained and protected more effectively during a collision.

<Supplement>
The vehicular occupant restraint device 10 according to each embodiment has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented within a scope not departing from the gist thereof. Of course.

  For example, according to the first and second embodiments, the weight detection sensor 42 is provided as the physique detection sensor that detects the physique of the occupant P seated on the seat 12, but the physique detection sensor is not limited thereto. Absent. For example, when a sensor for detecting the seat slide amount is provided on the seat rail 31, the ECU 40 determines that the passenger is a large occupant P1 when the seat slide amount is large, and determines that the passenger is a small occupant P2 when the seat slide amount is small. be able to. Further, for example, when the retractor 26 is provided with a sensor for detecting the amount of webbing 22 pulled out, it is determined that the passenger P1 is large when the amount of webbing 22 is large, and small passenger P2 when the amount of webbing 22 is small. Can be determined. Further, for example, when a camera for photographing the occupant P is provided in the vehicle interior, it is possible to determine whether the occupant P1 is large or the small occupant P2 by performing image analysis in the ECU 40. The physique detection sensor is not limited to any of the above, and the physique of the occupant P may be determined using a plurality of sensors in combination.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 according to the present invention is applied to the seat 12 provided on the right seat of the vehicle is illustrated, but the present invention is applied to the left seat of the vehicle. The vehicle occupant restraint device 10 may be applied. In this case, the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the case where the vehicle occupant restraint device 10 is applied to the vehicle right side seat. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which a shoulder anchor is provided in a C pillar or a D pillar of a three-row seat vehicle.

10. Vehicle occupant restraint device 11. Vehicle pre-crash seat belt device (3-point seat belt)
12 Vehicle Seat 22A Shoulder Belt 22B Lap Belt 28 Shoulder Anchor 40 ECU (Control Device)
42 Weight detection sensor (physique detection sensor)
100 shoulder anchor moving mechanism (moving means)

Claims (1)

A three-point seat belt comprising a shoulder belt and a lap belt;
A shoulder anchor that supports the upper end of the shoulder belt;
Moving means for moving the shoulder anchor vertically;
A physique detection sensor that detects the physique of an occupant seated on the seat;
When the occupant is determined to be large by the physique detection sensor at the time of vehicle collision prediction, the shoulder anchor is moved upward before the collision, and at the time of vehicle collision prediction, the occupant is detected by the physique detection sensor. Is determined to be small, a control device for maintaining the position of the shoulder anchor;
An occupant restraint device for vehicles.