JP7112869B2 - vehicle occupant protection - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an occupant protection device for a vehicle.

There is an airbag mounted on a seat as a technology for protecting an occupant in an area close to the occupant of a vehicle. For example, in order to protect the passenger's head, an airbag body that deploys and inflates between the body side of the vehicle and the region from the chest to the head of the passenger, and the airbag body from the passenger's head. A side airbag device including an airbag projecting portion that deploys and inflates so as to project in front of the face has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-008105 A

With the development of autonomous driving technology, when the freedom of seating position and seating state in the vehicle interior space is realized, when the seat is arranged differently from the conventional one, the steering and instruments that were used conventionally It may be difficult to protect the occupant with an airbag provided on a panel or the like. In view of this, there is an increasing need to provide seats with occupant protection devices such as airbags.
It is difficult for the conventional side airbag device described above to cope with an omnidirectional collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an occupant protection system for a vehicle that can protect occupants in various forms of collision only by the configuration of the seat on which the occupant sits.

As a means for solving the above-described problems, a vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention expands forward or upward from one lateral side of a seat on which an occupant sits via the seat or a peripheral member of the seat. a first airbag capable of deploying to the inside in the width direction of the seat; a second airbag that can be deployed inward in the width direction, and when deployed, the first airbag and the second airbag overlap in the vertical direction and the width direction of the seat.

In the vehicle occupant protection system according to the present invention, the first airbag and the second airbag expand through the seat surface of the seat, and one of the first airbag and the second airbag expands. It is preferable that one of the airbags deploys in front of the upper body of the occupant, and the other airbag deploys above the lower legs of the occupant below the one airbag.

In the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the one airbag has a facing surface portion facing the upper body of the occupant.

In the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the first airbag deploys from one of the seat cushion and the seatback, and the second airbag deploys from the other of the seat cushion and the seatback.

In the vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention, at least one of the first airbag and the second airbag has a restricting portion that restricts deployment along the vertical direction of the seat when deployed, It is preferable that the restricting portion is capable of increasing, step by step, a deployment amount along the vertical direction of the seat in the airbag provided with the restricting portion.

According to the present invention, the first airbag and the second airbag, which are deployed from one side and the other side of the seat, are deployed inward in the width direction of the seat, and the first airbag and the second airbag are deployed vertically and horizontally. By overlapping in the width direction of the seat, the airbags are arranged so as to surround the occupant. It is possible to provide an occupant protection device for a vehicle capable of realizing occupant protection in various forms of collision only by the configuration of the seat by having the airbag deployed from the seat close to and surround the occupant.

1(a) to 1(c) are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection system according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1(a) being a front view showing the occupant protection system, and FIG. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a top view which shows an occupant protection device, and FIG.1(c) is a side view which shows an occupant protection device. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the control flow when the airbag shown in FIG. 1 is driven to deploy. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the occupant protection system shown in FIG. 1 during a collision. 4(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4(a) being a front view showing the occupant protection device, and FIG. 4(b). is a plan view showing the occupant protection device, and FIG. 4(c) is a side view showing the occupant protection device. 5(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5(a) being a front view showing the occupant protection device, and FIG. 5(b). is a plan view showing the occupant protection device, and FIG. 5(c) is a side view showing the occupant protection device. 6A to 6C are partially enlarged schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a front view showing the occupant protection device, and FIG. (b) is a partial cross-sectional front view showing the passenger protection device, and FIG. 6(c) is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the passenger protection device. FIGS. 7A to 7C are schematic diagrams showing one deployment form of the second airbag in the occupant protection system shown in FIG. 6. FIG.

An embodiment of a vehicle occupant protection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.
1(a) to 1(c) are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(a) is a front view showing the occupant protection system 1. FIG. 1(b) is a plan view showing the passenger protection device 1, and FIG. 1(c) is a side view showing the passenger protection device 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the control flow when the airbag shown in FIG. 1 is driven to deploy. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the occupant protection system 1 shown in FIG. 1 during a collision.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the occupant protection device 1 includes a first airbag 2 and a second airbag 3 . The occupant protection device 1 also includes detection means 4 , timer means 5 and control means 6 for driving the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 .

The first airbag 2 is deployed through the seat surface of the seat 100 on which the occupant P sits. The seat 100 has a seat cushion 101 on which the occupant P can sit, and a seat back 102 on which the occupant P can lean back.
The first airbag 2 is an airbag that inflates upward from one side of the seat 100 , which is the left side of the occupant P in this embodiment, and deploys inward in the width direction of the seat 100 . The first airbag 2 has a first proximal portion 21 and a first inner portion 22 .
The first base end portion 21 is a portion that bulges and extends upward from the seat cushion 101 through the seat surface and is positioned to the side of the occupant P. As shown in FIG.
The first inner portion 22 is a portion that protrudes from the upper end portion of the first base end portion 21, extends inward in the width direction of the seat 100 from the first base end portion 21, and is positioned in front of the occupant P. do. The first inner portion 22 is a substantially plate-like portion extending in the vertical direction and the width direction of the seat 100 .
The first base end portion 21 also functions as a gas flow path for pressurizing gas into the first inner portion 22 when the first airbag 2 is deployed.

The first airbag 2 is a bag body made of cloth, and is folded and stored in the first storage portion 71 arranged inside the seat cushion 101 before deployment. When the first airbag 2 deploys, the gas generated from the first inflator 81 attached to the first housing portion 71 is pressurized into the first airbag 2 , so that the first airbag 2 is expanded. The seat surface of the seat cushion 101 is swelled to the outside of the first housing portion 71, and the seat surface of the seat cushion 101 is split to be deployed into the vehicle interior space.
In addition, although the first airbag 2 in the present embodiment has an inflated portion set on the seat surface of the seat 100, in the present invention, the first airbag is inflated from an appropriate interior material or the like which is a peripheral member of the seat. It's good to put it out.
As shown in FIG. 1, the first inner portion 22 is deployed in front of the upper body of the occupant P above the second airbag 3, which will be described later. That is, the first airbag 2 is one airbag in the present invention.
The first airbag 2 also has a facing surface portion 23 that is a planar portion that faces the upper body of the occupant P on the rear surface portion of the first inner portion 22 in the front-rear direction of the seat 100 . The facing surface portion 23 extends along the vertical direction and the width direction of the seat 100 .

The second airbag 3 is deployed via the seat surface of the seat 100 .
The second airbag 3 is an airbag that bulges forward from the other side of the seat 100 , which is the left side of the occupant P in this embodiment, and deploys inward in the width direction of the seat 100 . The second airbag 3 has a second proximal portion 31 and a second inner portion 32 .
The second base end portion 31 is a portion that bulges and extends forward from the seat back 102 through the seat surface and is positioned to the side of the occupant P. As shown in FIG.
The second inner portion 32 is a portion that protrudes from the front end portion of the second base end portion 31, extends from the second base end portion 31 toward the inside in the width direction of the seat 100, and is positioned in front of the occupant P. do. The second inner portion 32 is a substantially plate-like portion extending in the front-rear direction and width direction of the seat 100 .
The second base end portion 31 also functions as a gas flow path for pressurizing gas into the second inner portion 32 when the second airbag 3 is deployed.

The second airbag 3 is a bag body made of cloth, and is folded and stored in the second storage portion 72 arranged inside the seat back 102 before deployment. When the second airbag 3 deploys, the gas generated from the second inflator 82 attached to the second housing portion 72 is pressurized into the second airbag 3 , so that the second airbag 3 is expanded. It bulges out of the second accommodation portion 72, and further, splits the seat surface of the seat back 102 and expands into the vehicle interior space.
In addition, although the second airbag 3 in the present embodiment has an inflating portion set on the seat surface of the seat 100, in the present invention, the second airbag is inflated from an appropriate interior material or the like which is a peripheral member of the seat. It's good to put it out.
As shown in FIG. 1, the second inner portion 32 is deployed above the leg of the occupant P below the first inner portion 22 of the first airbag 2, which is one of the airbags. That is, the second airbag 3 is the other airbag in the present invention.

The first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 shown in FIG. 1 overlap each other in the vertical direction and in the width direction of the seat 100 when deployed.

A detection means 4 detects a vehicle collision or a collision possibility. Specifically, the detection means 4 detects whether or not there is a collision or the possibility of a collision between the own vehicle and another vehicle or an obstacle based on the results of monitoring the surrounding environment outside the vehicle using appropriate cameras, sensors, and the like. The detection means 4 is capable of outputting detection results to the control means 6 .
A collision can be detected by detecting an impact acting on the own vehicle using, for example, an acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle, and determining that the collision has occurred.
In addition, the possibility of a collision can be detected by combining the monitoring results of other vehicles or obstacles, for example, by a vehicle-mounted exterior monitoring camera, monitoring sensors, etc., with parameters such as the speed and direction of the own vehicle. , derive the possibility that another vehicle or an obstacle may come into contact with the own vehicle. Furthermore, it is possible to determine whether the collision probability is high or low depending on whether or not the derivation result exceeds an appropriate threshold value.
As the detecting means 4, for example, an on-vehicle camera, a monitoring sensor, an acceleration sensor, or the like can be used in combination with an arithmetic processing unit for analyzing the monitoring results.

The clock means 5 measures the elapsed time after the driving of the first inflator 81 or the second inflator 82 is started. Specifically, the clock means 5 starts measuring the elapsed time when an electric signal indicating that the control means 6 has output a drive signal to the first inflator 81 or the second inflator 82 is input from the control means 6. and outputs to the control means 6 an electric signal relating to the result of time measurement.
As the clock means 5, for example, a timer member for measuring time and an ECU, which is an in-vehicle arithmetic processing unit, can be used in combination.

The control means 6 controls driving of the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82 . Specifically, the control means 6 drives one of the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82 based on the detection result output from the detection means 4, and the timing result output from the timing means 5 Based on this, control for driving the other of the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82 is performed. When the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82 are driven, gas is generated due to ignition of explosives or the like. The control means 6 can output drive signals to the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82 .
As the control means 6, for example, an ECU, which is an in-vehicle arithmetic processing unit, can be used.

Here, the control flow of the drive control of the occupant protection device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the detection means 4 determines whether or not there is a collision of the own vehicle or the possibility of a collision (step S1). In this step, when the detection means 4 determines that a collision has actually occurred based on the detection result of the detection means 4, the process proceeds to the next step (YES in step S1). Further, in this step, based on the detection result of the detection means 4, the detection means 4 derives a risk that increases due to another vehicle or an obstacle approaching the own vehicle, and the risk exceeds an appropriate threshold value. If so, the detecting means 4 determines that there is a possibility of collision, and in this case also, the process proceeds to the next step (YES in step S1).
Note that when the detection means 4 determines that no collision has occurred in the detection result of the detection means 4, there is no need to prepare for a collision, and there is no need to drive the first inflator 81 and the second inflator 82, so this control is performed. The flow is completed (NO in step S1). Further, when there is no possibility of a collision because another vehicle or an obstacle is not approaching the own vehicle, or when another vehicle or an obstacle is approaching the own vehicle, the above risk exceeds an appropriate threshold value. Even if the probability of collision is low because it is not exceeded, this control flow is similarly completed (NO in step S1).
A determination result of the detection means 4 is output to the control means 6 .

If the detection means 4 determines that a collision has occurred or is likely to occur (YES in step S1), the control means 6 controls the driving of the first inflator 81 (step S2). In this step, a drive signal is input from the control means 6 to the first inflator 81 attached to the first airbag 2, so that the first inflator 81 generates gas by, for example, igniting gunpowder. . The gas generated by the first inflator 81 is pressurized into the first airbag 2 to split the seat surface of the seat cushion 101 and bulge upward out of the seat 100 .
It should be noted that the control means 6 outputs to the clock means 5 an electrical signal indicating that the drive signal has been output to the first inflator 81 in this step. Upon receiving the signal input from the control means 6, the clock means 5 starts measuring the elapsed time from the start of driving the first inflator 81. As shown in FIG.

After the first base end portion 21 has risen from the seat cushion 101, the first airbag 2 that has started to deploy extends from the upper portion of the first base end portion 21 to the inside in the width direction of the seat 100 as the first inner portion. 22 unfolds.

As a control flow of the occupant protection device 1 for deploying the second airbag 3, as shown in FIG. is determined (step S3). In this step, the timer means 5 determines whether or not the elapsed time from the start of driving the first inflator 81, that is, the elapsed time from the start of deployment of the first airbag 2 exceeds a predetermined time threshold value. conduct. If the elapsed time from the start of deployment of the first airbag 2 exceeds the predetermined time threshold, the process proceeds to the next step (YES in step S3).
The predetermined time threshold used in this step may be set to a time when the first airbag 2 is in the middle of being deployed, or may be set to a time when the deployment is completed. In other words, when the first airbag 2 reaches an appropriate deployment amount or more, or when the deployment of the first airbag 2 is completed, then the second airbag 3 is deployed.
If the elapsed time does not exceed the predetermined time threshold, this process is repeated (NO in step S3).
The determination result of the clock means 5 is output to the control means 6 .

When the timer means 5 determines that the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time threshold (YES in step S3), the control means 6 controls the driving of the second inflator 82 (step S4). In this step, a drive signal is input from the control means 6 to the second inflator 82 attached to the second airbag 3, so that the second inflator 82 generates gas by, for example, igniting gunpowder. . The gas generated by the second inflator 82 is pressurized into the second airbag 3 to split the seat surface of the seat back 102 and bulge forward out of the seat 100 .

After the second base end portion 31 protrudes forward from the seat back 102 , the second airbag 3 that has started to deploy extends from the front portion of the second base end portion 31 toward the inside in the width direction of the seat 100 . 2 inner part 32 unfolds.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the first airbag 2 has the first inner side portion 22 and the second airbag 3 has the second inner side portion 32, so that both sides of the seat 100 are positioned in front of the occupant P. The airbag is deployed from the side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first airbag 2 bulges upward from a position outside the width direction of the seat 100 with respect to the lower legs of the occupant P in the seat cushion 101 , and the first base end portion 21 of the seat 100 The first inner portion 22 protrudes inward in the width direction of the seat 100 from the expanded position of , and is deployed in front of the occupant P's upper body. Further, the second airbag 3 bulges forward from the widthwise outer position of the seat 100 with respect to the upper body of the occupant P in the seat back 102 , and extends from the bulging position of the second base end portion 31 of the seat 100 to the seat 100 . The second inner portion 32 protrudes inward in the width direction of the occupant P and is deployed in front of the occupant P and above the lower legs.

Therefore, the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 deployed from the seat 100 surround the side and front of the occupant P. As a result, the configuration of the seat 100 alone results in a front collision, a side collision, and a rear collision. It is possible to realize occupant protection in various types of collisions such as collisions and oblique collisions.

For example, when a vehicle equipped with the occupant protection system 1 has a frontal collision, the occupant P falls forward as shown in FIG. Since the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 of the occupant protection device 1 are deployed by the control described above, the occupant P can be appropriately protected.

Specifically, when a frontal collision occurs, the occupant P falls forward while rotating around the waist. At this time, the first airbag 2 is pushed forward and downward by the occupant P. As shown in FIG. The upper body of the occupant P who falls forward is supported by the facing surface portion 23 of the first airbag 2 . Since the upper body of the occupant P is supported not locally but in a plane, an increase in the injury value of the chest of the occupant P can be suppressed. When the facing surface portion 23 is pushed forward by the occupant P, the lower portion of the first inner portion 22 is supported by the second inner portion 32 from below. The second inner portion 32 comes into contact with the leg such as the thigh of the occupant P and is supported from below. Furthermore, since the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 pushed forward by the occupant P are connected to the seat 100 via the first base end portion 21 and the second base end portion 31, A drag force for forward movement is generated due to the pressure of the bag 2 and the second airbag 3 . Therefore, the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 prevent the occupant P from significantly losing his or her seated posture, and the occupant P is protected in the vicinity of the seat 100 .

Further, since the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 are deployed in a manner overlapping in the vertical direction and in the width direction of the seat 100, the occupant P will be able to receive the first airbag regardless of the direction of the collision. When at least one of the airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 is pressed, the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 interfere with each other, making it difficult to move from the deployed position. Thereby, omnidirectional protective performance for the passenger P is ensured.

In the present invention, an airbag having a shape different from that of the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 may be employed. Another embodiment of the passenger protection device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.
4A to 4C are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device 11 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a front view showing the occupant protection device 11. FIG. 4(b) is a plan view showing the passenger protection device 11, and FIG. 4(c) is a side view showing the passenger protection device 11. FIG. 5(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device 12 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5(a) is a front view showing the occupant protection device 12. FIG. 5(b) is a plan view showing the passenger protection device 12, and FIG. 5(c) is a side view showing the passenger protection device 12. FIG.
4 and the passenger protection device 12 shown in FIG. 5, the same members as those of the passenger protection device 1 are used except for the differences, and detailed description of the same members is omitted.

The occupant protection device 11 shown in FIG. 4 includes a first airbag 201 instead of the first airbag 2 described above.

The first airbag 201 has substantially the same shape as the second airbag 3 and is deployed via the seat surface of the seat 100 .
The first airbag 201 is an airbag that bulges forward from one side of the seat 100, i.e., the right side of the occupant P in the embodiment shown in FIG. The first airbag 201 has a first proximal portion 211 and a first inner portion 212 .
The first base end portion 211 is a portion that bulges and extends forward from the seat back 102 through the seat surface and is positioned on the side of the occupant P. As shown in FIG.
The first inner portion 212 is a portion that protrudes from the front end portion of the first base end portion 211, extends inward in the width direction of the seat 100 from the first base end portion 211, and is positioned in front of the occupant P. do. The first inner portion 212 is a substantially plate-like portion extending in the front-rear direction and width direction of the seat 100 .
The first proximal end portion 211 also functions as a gas flow path for pressurizing gas into the first inner portion 212 when the first airbag 201 is deployed.

The first airbag 201 is accommodated in the first accommodation portion 71 arranged in the seat back 102 before being deployed, and is forced out of the first accommodation portion 71 by the gas generated from the first inflator 81 being pressurized. It bulges out, further splits the seat surface of the seat back 102, and expands into the vehicle interior space.
As shown in FIG. 4 , the first inner portion 212 is deployed in front of the occupant P's upper body above the second airbag 3 . That is, the first airbag 201 is one airbag in the present invention.
In the occupant protection device 11, both the deployed first inner portion 212 and the second inner portion 32 are substantially plate-like portions and are stacked above the occupant P's lower legs. The first airbag 201 and the second airbag 3 overlap each other in the vertical direction and the width direction of the seat 100 when deployed.

The occupant protection device 11 including the first airbag 201 and the second airbag 3 is configured such that the first airbag 201 and the second airbag 3 deployed from the seat 100 are positioned on the side of the occupant P in the same manner as the occupant protection device 1 described above. As a result, only the configuration of the seat 100 can protect the occupants in various types of collisions such as frontal collisions, side collisions, rearward collisions, and oblique collisions.

Next, an occupant protection device 12 shown in FIG. 5 includes a first airbag 202 instead of the first airbag 2 and a second airbag 302 instead of the second airbag 3 .

The first airbag 202 is deployed via the seat surface of the seat 100 .
The first airbag 202 is an airbag that bulges upward from one side of the seat 100, that is, the right side of the occupant P in the embodiment shown in FIG. The first airbag 202 has a first proximal portion 221 and a first inner portion 222 .
The first base end portion 221 is a portion that bulges and extends upward from the seat cushion 101 through the seat surface and is positioned on the side of the occupant P. As shown in FIG.
The first inner portion 222 is a portion that protrudes from the upper end portion of the first base end portion 221, extends inward in the width direction of the seat 100 from the first base end portion 221, and is positioned in front of the occupant P. do. The first inner portion 222 is a substantially plate-like portion extending in the front-rear direction and width direction of the seat 100 .
The first proximal end portion 221 also functions as a gas flow path for pressurizing gas into the first inner portion 222 when the first airbag 202 is deployed.

The first airbag 202 is accommodated in the first accommodation portion 71 arranged in the seat cushion 101 before being deployed, and is forced out of the first accommodation portion 71 by the gas generated from the first inflator 81 being pressurized. It bulges out, and further splits the seat surface of the seat cushion 101 and expands into the vehicle interior space.
As shown in FIG. 5 , the first inner side portion 222 is deployed in front of the occupant P's upper body above the second inner side portion 322 . That is, the first airbag 202 is one airbag in the present invention.

The second airbag 302 is deployed through the seat surface of the seat 100 .
The second airbag 302 is an airbag that bulges upward from the other side of the seat 100, that is, the left side of the occupant P in the embodiment shown in FIG. The second airbag 302 has a second proximal portion 321 and a second inner portion 322 .
The second base end portion 321 is a portion that bulges and extends upward from the seat cushion 101 through the seat surface and is positioned on the side of the occupant P. As shown in FIG.
The second inner portion 322 is a portion that protrudes from the upper end portion of the second base end portion 321, extends from the second base end portion 321 toward the inside in the width direction of the seat 100, and is positioned in front of the occupant P. do. The second inner portion 322 is a substantially plate-like portion extending in the front-rear direction and width direction of the seat 100 .
The second proximal end portion 321 also functions as a gas flow path for pressurizing gas into the second inner portion 322 when the second airbag 302 is deployed.

The second airbag 302 is accommodated in the second accommodation portion 72 arranged in the seat cushion 101 before being deployed, and is forced out of the second accommodation portion 72 by the gas generated from the second inflator 82 being pressurized. It bulges out, and further splits the seat surface of the seat cushion 101 and expands into the vehicle interior space.
As shown in FIG. 5 , the second inner side portion 322 is deployed above the leg of the occupant P below the first inner side portion 222 . That is, the second airbag 302 is the other airbag in the present invention.
In the occupant protection device 13, the deployed first inner portion 222 and the second inner portion 322 are both substantially plate-like portions, and are stacked above the leg of the occupant P. As shown in FIG. The first airbag 202 and the second airbag 302 overlap each other in the vertical direction and the width direction of the seat 100 when deployed.

The occupant protection device 12 including the first airbag 202 and the second airbag 302 is configured such that the first airbag 202 and the second airbag 302 deployed from the seat 100 are positioned on the side of the occupant P in the same manner as the occupant protection device 1 described above. As a result, only the configuration of the seat 100 can protect the occupants in various types of collisions such as frontal collisions, side collisions, rearward collisions, and oblique collisions.

Since the airbag deployed from the seat cushion surrounds the sides and upper parts of the lower legs of the passenger P, the passenger protection device 12 suppresses the movement of the lower legs of the passenger P in the event of a collision and prevents the upper body from falling forward. can be suppressed, the seated posture of the occupant P is less likely to be greatly disturbed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the occupant protection system 1 deploys the first airbag 2 first, and deploys the second airbag 3 after a predetermined time has elapsed.
In the present invention, the order in which the airbags are deployed is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately determined according to the type of collision, the time delay before the collision, the driving environment, the driving state of the vehicle, and the like.
For example, when there is little time before a collision, it is highly necessary to quickly deploy airbags to the sides and front of the occupant, so the first and second airbags are deployed simultaneously. is good.
If the deployment timings of the first airbag 2 and the second airbag 3 are staggered as in the occupant protection system 1, the airbags move in various directions during deployment, i.e., the airbags are deployed in a violently deployed state. Since they are less likely to interfere with each other, stable airbag deployment is possible.

Here, an embodiment for achieving smoother deployment when the deployment timings of the first airbag and the second airbag are staggered will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.
6(a) to (c) are partially enlarged schematic diagrams showing an occupant protection device 13 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6(a) is a front view showing the occupant protection device 13, 6(b) is a partially sectioned front view showing the passenger protection device 13, and FIG. 6(c) is a partially sectioned side view showing the passenger protection device 13. As shown in FIG. FIGS. 7A to 7C are schematic diagrams showing one deployment form of the second airbag 303 in the occupant protection device 13 shown in FIG.
In addition, in the passenger protection device 13 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the same members as those of the passenger protection device 1 are used except for the differences, and detailed description of the same members is omitted.

An occupant protection device 13 shown in FIG. 6 includes a second airbag 303 instead of the second airbag 3 of the occupant protection device 1 described above.

The second airbag 303 has a restricting portion 9 inside.
The restricting portion 9 restricts the vertical deployment of the seat 100 when the second airbag 303 is deployed. The restricting portion 9 can increase the amount of expansion of the seat 100 in the vertical direction of the second airbag 303 step by step. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) to 6(c), the restricting portion 9 has a partition portion 91 and a pressure valve 92. As shown in FIG.
The partition wall portion 91 is a flexible thin plate-like member made of the same material as the second airbag 303, and extends along the width direction and the front-rear direction of the seat 100 when the second airbag 303 is deployed. It is fixedly arranged in the second airbag 303 so as to extend. By arranging the two partition walls 91 in the second airbag 303 at approximately equal intervals, the second inner side portion 332 of the second airbag 303 is divided into a first air chamber portion 333, a second air chamber portion 334, and a second air chamber portion 334. It is divided into 3 air chambers 335 .
The pressure valve 92 is a valve element that is provided in the partition wall 91 and opens when a predetermined pressure is applied. The pressure valve 92 is closed until the second airbag 303 is deployed. As the pressure valve 92, if it is opened at a predetermined pressure, the through hole is closed by sewing, and the strength of the ease of tearing and breaking of the sewn portion is increased. It is also possible to take a form adjusted by sewing strength or the like.

Also, the second base end portion 331 of the second airbag 303 communicates only with the first air chamber portion 333 . Therefore, when the deployment of the second airbag 303 is started, the second base end portion 331 functions as a gas flow path, so that only the first air chamber portion 333 is first deployed inward in the width direction of the seat 100. It will happen.

Next, the deployment mode of the second airbag 303 shown in FIG. 7 will be described.
In the occupant protection device 13 shown in FIG. 7, the first airbag 2 has already been deployed. That is, the second airbag 303 is deployed in the area between the first inner portion 22 of the first airbag 2 that has been fully deployed and the occupant's P leg.

When gas is generated from the second inflator 82 by the drive control of the control means 6, the gas flowing through the second base end portion 331 is released from the front end portion of the second base end portion 331 as shown in FIG. 7(a). flows into the first air chamber portion 333 provided in the . At this time, the second air chamber portion 334 and the third air chamber portion 335 are in a contracted state without inflow of gas.

Before and after the first air chamber portion 333 is substantially inflated with gas, the pressure valve 92 provided between the first air chamber portion 333 and the second air chamber portion 334 is opened by the gas pressure. As a result, the gas also flows into the second air chamber 334 as shown in FIG. 7B. At this time, the third air chamber portion 335 is in a contracted state with no gas flowing therein.

Between the second air chamber portion 334 and the third air chamber portion 335 before and after the first air chamber portion 333 is in a substantially inflated state with gas and the second air chamber portion 334 is in a substantially inflated state with gas. A provided pressure valve 92 is opened by the gas pressure. As a result, the gas also flows into the third air chamber 335 as shown in FIG. 7(c).
Deployment of the second airbag 303 is completed when the third air chamber 335 is inflated.

When the occupant protection device 13 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used, the first airbag 2 is deployed in front of the upper body of the occupant P to prioritize the protection of the upper body of the occupant P. is suitable.
Moreover, before the deployment of the second airbag 303, there is nothing in front of the occupant P that prevents the deployment of the first airbag 2, so the first airbag 2 can be deployed smoothly.

First, the second airbag 303 is arranged in a region between the lower end of the first inner portion 22 and the lower legs of the occupant P so that the amount of deployment of the second inner portion 332 in the vertical direction of the seat 100 becomes small, that is, the second airbag 303 . First, only the first air chamber portion 333 is expanded so that the vertical thickness of the second inner portion 332 is reduced. Furthermore, in the second airbag 303 , the second air chamber 334 and the third air chamber 335 are sequentially deployed by the restricting portion 9 , so that the vertical thickness of the second inner portion 332 increases stepwise.
Therefore, the restricting portion 9 enables the airbag to deploy reliably and smoothly even in a narrow area.

It should be noted that the deployment timing of the second airbag 303 along the vertical direction can be adjusted to the time when the occupant P falls down at the time of collision.
Specifically, by appropriately adjusting the opening pressure of the pressure valve 92 and the driving timing of the second inflator 82, the upper and lower thickness of the second inner portion 332 is controlled by the restricting portion 9 while the occupant P is lying down. may be made larger. As a result, for example, when the upper body of the occupant P falls forward about the waist, the vertical thickness of the second inner portion 332 that contacts the first inner portion 22 is increased step by step. A supporting reaction force acting upward from the second airbag 303 can be applied to the first airbag 2 .

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the expansion of the amount of deployment of the second inner portion 332 of the second airbag 303 along the vertical direction. It is also possible to employ a form in which the deployment amount is increased stepwise from the top to the bottom of the 1 inner portion 22 .
The restriction part in the present invention is appropriately adopted in various parts, shapes, sizes, etc., as long as the first airbag and the second airbag can be deployed stepwise toward each other. can do.

As described above, the passenger protection devices 1, 11, 12 and 13 according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. The airbag is deployed in a region close to the occupant P by deploying the airbag also to the inner side in the width direction of the seat.
In future self-driving vehicles, the seat 100 will not be limited to the front of the vehicle, but can be oriented in various directions. Also, the seat 100 can be arranged at various positions. As a result, existing occupant protection devices such as airbags installed in various interior materials cannot sufficiently exhibit conventional occupant protection performance for the occupant P seated on the movable seat 100. A possibility arises.
On the other hand, in the occupant protection devices 1, 11, 12 and 13, the first airbag and the second airbag are deployed from the seat 100 so as to surround the occupant P in a region close to the occupant P. The occupant protection performance does not degrade or is difficult to degrade regardless of the direction and position of the seat 100 .

Although the embodiment to which the invention made by the present inventor is applied has been described above, the present invention is not limited by the statements and drawings forming a part of the disclosure of the present invention according to this embodiment. That is, it should be added that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

1, 11, 12 and 13: occupant protection device, 2, 201 and 202: first airbag, 21, 211 and 221: first base end portion, 22, 212 and 222: first inner portion, 23: facing surface portion , 3, 301, 302 and 303: second airbag; 31, 311, 321 and 331: second base end portion; 32, 312, 322 and 332: second inner portion; : second air chamber portion 335: third air chamber portion 4: detection means 5: timing means 6: control means 71: first housing portion 72: second housing portion 81: first inflator 82: Second inflator, 9: Regulating portion, 91: Partition wall portion, 92: Pressure valve, 100: Seat, 101: Seat cushion, 102: Seat back, P: Occupant

Claims (3)

a first airbag that can bulge forward or upward from one lateral side of the seat on which the occupant sits via the seat or a peripheral member of the seat and can be deployed inward in the width direction of the seat;
a second airbag that can bulge forward or upward from the other lateral side of the seat via the seat or the peripheral member and can be deployed inward in the width direction of the seat;
When the first airbag and the second airbag are deployed, they overlap each other in the vertical direction and in the width direction of the seat,
the first airbag and the second airbag inflate through the seat surface of the seat;
One of the first airbag and the second airbag deploys in front of the occupant's upper body, and the other airbag deploys below the one airbag and above the occupant's lower legs,
the first airbag deploys from one of the seat cushion and the seatback;
The second airbag deploys from the other of the seat cushion and the seatback,
Vehicle occupant protection. The one airbag has a facing surface portion facing the occupant's upper body,
The passenger protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1 . At least one of the first airbag and the second airbag has a restricting portion that restricts deployment along the vertical direction of the seat when deploying,
The restricting portion is capable of increasing, step by step, a deployment amount along the vertical direction of the seat in the airbag provided with the restricting portion.
An occupant protection device for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2 .

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