JP2687771B2 - Vehicle occupant restraint system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional vehicle occupant restraint system, for example, there is a three-point seat belt device as shown in FIG.

This involves pulling out a webbing 3 from a retractor 2 fixed to the lower part of a center pillar 1, inserting this webbing 3 into a shoulder anchor 4 fixed to the upper part of the center pillar 1, and further, a through ring part of a tongue 5. After being inserted into the center pillar 1, the outer pillar 6 is fixed to the lower part of the center pillar 1.

[0004] Then, the tongue 5 is grasped and the webbing 3 is pulled out to be inserted into and engaged with the buckle 8 of the inner anchor 7, whereby the occupant is restrained to the seat (this structure is the automobile technology of May 1983). It is described in "New Edition Automotive Engineering Handbook Vol. 7, pages 1-129" issued by the Society).

Further, as a restraint device for assisting restraint of an occupant by a seat belt, there is an airbag device as shown in FIGS.

This is built in the center pad portion 10 of the steering wheel 9, and is composed of a rubber-coated nylon airbag 11 and an inflator 12 for inflating the airbag 11. Is attached to the center of the airbag device with a nut, and the electric ignition device 13, the ignition agent 14, and the nitrogen gas generating agent 15 are contained in an aluminum container 16.

Therefore, when the air bag device operates, the nitrogen gas generating agent 15 in the inflator 12 burns to generate nitrogen gas and inflates the airbag 11.
The inflated airbag 11 receives and protects the occupant.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, a knee pad 18 is provided under the instrument panel 17 in order to restrain the occupant's knees in the event of such a vehicle collision (this structure is shown in May 1983). It is described in "New Automobile Engineering Handbook, Vol. 7, pages 1-133" issued by the Automotive Engineering Society of Japan).

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle occupant restraint system, the airbag device and the knee pad 18 are symmetrical with respect to the occupant center line, while the seat belt device is not. Since the vehicle is asymmetrical to the left and right, the occupant's body may be twisted or laterally displaced after the collision, depending on the occupant's physique, collision conditions, etc. Therefore, conventionally, the seat belt, the airbag 11, or the knee pad has been conventionally used. The size of 18 is increased to prevent this, and there is a problem that the vehicle weight increases and the cost increases.

Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle occupant restraint system capable of suppressing twisting of the body of an occupant at the time of a vehicle collision, reducing the weight of the vehicle body, and reducing the cost.

[0011]

As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the present invention has a seat belt shoulder belt with a high height relative to the occupant so as to minimize twisting of the occupant during a vehicle collision. Shoulder belt position adjusting means A for adjusting the height and shoulder belt position adjusting means A
When the shoulder belt of the occupant is twisted after the shoulder belt is adjusted by, the airbag adjusting means B for receiving the occupant at the optimum position of the airbag corresponding to the twist and the airbag adjusting means B are used to adjust the airbag. When the waist of the occupant is twisted later, the waist rotating means C for rotating the waist of the occupant in a direction to return the twist, and the physique of the occupant,
An occupant measurement sensor D that measures behavior and a collision detection sensor E that detects a collision between both vehicles are provided.

[0012]

When the occupant's physique is detected in advance by the occupant measurement sensor D and a vehicle collision is detected by the collision detection sensor E, the shoulder belt position adjusting means A brings the shoulder belt to the optimum position specified by the occupant measurement sensor D. The height of the belt is adjusted.

If the chest of the occupant is twisted even if the height of the shoulder belt is adjusted, the occupant measuring sensor detects it and the airbag adjusting means receives the occupant at the optimum position of the airbag. Further, even if the waist of the occupant is twisted, the occupant measuring sensor detects the twist and the waist rotating means rotates the occupant in a direction to return the twist direction.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a three-point seat belt device. In the three-point seat belt device 21, a webbing 24 as a seat belt pulled out from a retractor 23 below a center pillar 22 is used as the center pillar 2.
2 passed through the shoulder anchor 25 at the upper part of the vehicle 2 and was hung along the chest of the occupant 26 (this part was seat belt 21a
After that, after passing through the through ring of the tongue 27 and further along the waist of the occupant 26 (this part is referred to as a lap belt 21b), it is connected to the outer anchor 28 below the center pillar 22. .

The shoulder anchor 25 is fixed to a substantially central portion of a slide rail 29 provided on the center pillar 22 in the vertical direction, and wires 30 and 31 are attached to the upper and lower sides, respectively.

The upper wire 30 turns rearward via a pulley 32 and is connected to an explosive tensioner 33, and the lower wire 31 is connected to an explosive tensioner 34 arranged on the center pillar 22. Therefore, by igniting either of the explosive tensioners 32 and 34, the position of the shoulder anchor 25 is instantaneously moved upward or downward.

Reference numeral 35 is an airbag device, and this airbag device 35 is provided with an airbag 36.
It is mounted on a base plate 40 fixed to the spokes 39 of the steering wheel 38 together with the inflator 37 for inflating 6.

The airbag 36 is made up of two partition cloths 41, which are arranged in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
3, the right chamber 44 is partitioned.

The inflator 37 is provided with a cover 46 covering the side of the gas ejection hole 45, and the gas emitted from the gas ejection hole 45 when the inflator 37 is ignited is provided with three electromagnetic valves 47, 48 provided in the cover 46. , 49, and is supplied into the airbag 36.

The valve 48 opens to the central chamber 43, and the valves 47 and 49 are connected to the left chamber 4 via tubes 50 and 51, respectively.
2. The opening is arranged in the right chamber 44.

Therefore, these valves 47, 48, 4
By adjusting the opening and closing of 9 and the opening degree, the internal pressure of the left chamber 42, the central chamber 43, and the right chamber 44 can be controlled.

Reference numeral 52 denotes a knee pad device. The knee pad device 52 extends in the vehicle width direction facing the knee of the occupant 26 with the tip of the energy absorbing bracket 54 fixed to the steering member 53 as a fulcrum 55.
Is rotatably supported about the vertical direction. At the left and right ends of the pad member 56, explosive tensioners 58 and 59 fixed on the steering member 53 via rods 57 are respectively arranged, and the pad member 56 can be rotated by igniting one of them. You can do it.

The explosive tensioners 33, 34 of the seat belt device 21, the electromagnetic valves 47, 48, 49 of the airbag device 35, and the explosive tensioners 58, 59 of the knee pad device 52 are connected to a control unit 60. The unit 60 has the physique of the occupant,
A vehicle interior camera 61 as an occupant measurement sensor D for obtaining the behavior data and a G sensor 62 as a collision detection sensor E for detecting a collision of the vehicle are connected.

Here, the shoulder anchor 25 and the explosive tensioners 33 and 34 are the shoulder belt position adjusting means A.
The air bag 36 and the electromagnetic valves 47, 48, 4
9 constitutes the airbag adjusting means B, and the knee pad device 5
2 constitutes the waist rotation means C.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the occupant 26 is taken by the vehicle interior camera 61.
Is measured and the information is input to the control unit 60. At this time, shoulder anchor 25
Is set to the normal position (steps 1 and 2).

Next, when the vehicle collides, the G sensor 62
Detects this (step 3), and calculates the height of the shoulder anchor 25 where the occupant 26 does not twist or fall to the left or right, depending on the physique of the occupant 26, using the control unit 60, and the figure of the explosive tensioners 33, 34. As shown in FIG. 4, the slide rail 29 is moved up and down and moved to an appropriate position (step 4).

Here, generally, when the position of the shoulder anchor 25 is raised as shown in FIG. 4, the body is twisted to the side opposite to the shoulder anchor 25, and when the position of the shoulder anchor 25 is lowered, the shoulder anchor 25 is moved downward. The body becomes twisted to the side of 25.

Therefore, in this way, the shoulder anchor 2
By adjusting No. 5 to an appropriate position, the occupant does not shift to the positions shown in T ₁ and T _{2 in} FIG. 8 and the occupant 26 moves to the center of the airbag 36 deployed as shown in FIG. 7 (the position of T ₃ in FIG. 8). ) Can receive the head T.

Therefore, the head T does not deviate from the center of the airbag 36 and the size of the airbag 36 can be reduced.

In this way, the shoulder anchor 25 is attached to the occupant 2
Even if the body of 6 is adjusted so as not to be twisted, if the body of the occupant 26 is twisted due to a displacement of the shoulder belt or a rotation component of the vehicle body due to a vehicle collision condition, the vehicle interior camera 61 measures the twist of the chest M (step 5). For example, when the chest M of the occupant is twisted to the left and falls (step 6), the control unit 60 increases the opening of the electromagnetic valve 49. The internal pressure of the right chamber 44 of the airbag 36 is increased, the opening degree of the electromagnetic valve 47 is decreased to reduce the internal pressure of the left chamber 42 of the airbag 36, and the central chamber 43 is adjusted to an intermediate internal pressure ( Step 7).

As a result, the back reaction force on the right ventricle 44 side is high, so that the leftward twist of the chest M of the occupant 26 is corrected.

Further, not only the chest M but also the occupant 26
Of the waist K of the vehicle is measured by the vehicle interior camera 61 (step 7), and when the waist K is twisted as shown in FIG. 5 (step 8), the left side explosive tensioner 59 is ignited as shown in FIG. Then, the pad member 56 is rotated around the fulcrum 55 so that the right side of the pad member 56 approaches the knee of the occupant 26 (steps 9 and 10).

In this state, when the waist K of the occupant 26 is twisted to the left, the right knee is protruding and the pad member 26
Since the right knee comes into quick contact with, the forward movement of the right knee is blocked and the rotation of the waist K to the left is corrected.

At this time, as the pad member 26 returns to the left-right parallel state, the energy absorbing bracket 54 is crushed and deformed, and the impact force on the knee is absorbed.

As described above, the seat belt device 21, the airbag device 35, and the knee pad device 52 correct the twist and the lateral tilt of the occupant 26, and the occupant moves substantially straight forward as shown in FIG. As a result, the occupant's head T and chest M are restrained at the proper positions of the airbag 36, and the impact force on the occupant 26 can be minimized.

When no collision is detected,
It is again determined whether or not a collision has occurred (step 2). When the chest M is not twisted and the waist K is not twisted, the control ends (step 10).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be combined with the ones shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0040]

[Table 1]

[0041]

[Table 2]

For example, the shoulder belt position adjusting means A may change the height of the seat cushion, or may be a shoulder anchor 25 with a pretensioner.

Further, the airbag adjusting means B may be one which adjusts the position of the airbag 36 by allowing the steering wheel 38 to rotate at the base of the steering shaft.

The waist rotation means C rotates the seat cushion or the seat belt device 2
Alternatively, the waist portion K may be rotated in the direction opposite to the twisting direction by pulling the lap belt 21b of No. 1 with a pretensioner or the like.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to minimize the twist of the occupant at the time of a vehicle collision, and to correct the occupant if the twist occurs. In this state, the airbag can be received at an appropriate position, and the impact on the occupant can be suppressed to a low level.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims.

FIG. 2 is an overall explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a twisted state of a passenger.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the twisted state.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the control situation.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing an impact situation of an occupant.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the forward movement of the head of the occupant.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional seat belt device.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of a conventional airbag device.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a conventional inflator.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the inside of a vehicle equipped with a conventional knee pad.

[Explanation of symbols]

24 ... Webbing (seat belt), 21a ... Shoulder belt, 26 ... Occupant, 35 ... Air bag device, 36 ... Air bag, 52 ... Knee pad device, 61 ... Vehicle camera (passenger measurement sensor D), 62 ... G sensor ( Collision detection sensors E), A ... Shoulder belt position adjusting means, B ... Airbag adjusting means, C ... Waist rotating means, K ... Waist, M ... Chest.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A shoulder belt position adjusting means for adjusting a height of a shoulder belt of a seat belt with respect to an occupant so as to minimize twisting of the occupant due to asymmetry of the seat belt in a vehicle collision, and a shoulder belt position. Airbag adjusting means for receiving an occupant at the optimum position of the airbag corresponding to the twist when the occupant's chest is twisted after adjusting the shoulder belt by the adjusting means,
When the waist of the occupant is twisted after the airbag is adjusted by the airbag adjusting means, the waist rotating means for rotating the waist of the occupant in the direction to return the twist, and the occupant measurement for measuring the physique and behavior of the occupant An occupant restraint system comprising a sensor and a collision detection sensor for detecting a collision between both vehicles.