JPH0995196A - Occupant protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely protect a seated occupant from the side part of a vehicle body by displacing a seat itself on the inside in the direction of vehicle width through a pressure receiving member extending in the vehicle width direction, accompanying deformation of the side part of the body on the inside of a cabin, at side collision of a vehicle. SOLUTION: When the side of a vehicle collides, the body side part 10 is deformed to the inside of a cabin by the collision energy, and the inner face 11 is deformed to the inside of the cabin as shown by the chain line. Because the end part 9 of a seal cross member 8 projecting from a seat cushion bracket 4 to the outside in the vehicle width direction is pressed to the inside of the body by the inner face 11 of the body side part, the flat plate-like vertical wall part of a seat cushion bracket 4 connected with the seat cross member 8 is tilted to the inside of the cabin as shown by the chain line, against a lower flange 6 fixed on an upper rail 3 through rivets 7. As a result, the seat cross member 8 and the seat are displaced to the center side of the cabin, and hence a seated occupant can be protected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle, and more particularly to a device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a side impact.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a vehicle is collided from the side, a so-called occupant protection device at the time of a side collision is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 6 (1999) -6.
As illustrated in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64491, by inflating an airbag between a side surface of a vehicle and / or a door and a seated occupant in response to a side collision, the side surface of the vehicle and / or the door is exposed to the passenger. Techniques have been known to prevent direct danger, but the use of such airbags increases costs and requires that the seat be firmly attached to the vehicle floor. There was a risk that the weight of the vehicle would increase.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily protect an occupant in a vehicle side collision with a relatively simple structure.

[0004]

Therefore, an occupant protection device according to the present invention is provided with a seat supporting device which is attached to a floor of a vehicle and supports a seat, and which is provided in the seat and extends in the vehicle width direction toward the inside of the vehicle. And a pressure receiving member that displaces the seat inward in the vehicle width direction by receiving a pressing force from the side surface portion of the vehicle body that has been deformed to.

That is, the pressure receiving member provided in the seat supported by the seat supporting device in the vehicle interior and extending in the vehicle width direction receives the pressing force from the side surface portion of the vehicle body deformed toward the vehicle interior, and the seat itself extends in the vehicle width. Since the vehicle is displaced inward in the direction, the occupant sitting on the seat can easily be displaced inward in the vehicle width direction, so that the occupant can be protected against the side surface portion of the vehicle body deformed into the vehicle interior.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described with the same reference numerals being given to the same parts. 1 to 3, left and right lower rails 2 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle are bolted onto a floor 1 of a passenger car, and upper rails 3 are slidably mounted on the respective lower rails 2 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Are mounted on the left and right upper rails 3, respectively, and a side sill side seat cushion bracket 4 and a passenger compartment center side seat cushion bracket 5 each having a substantially L-shaped vertical cross section.
The lower flanges 6 are fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail 3 by a plurality of rivets 7 arranged at appropriate intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

Further, both seat cushion brackets 4,
The rear portion of the seat cross member 5 is connected by a pipe-shaped seat cross member 8 extending in the vehicle width direction.
Is projected from the seat cushion bracket 4 to the outside in the vehicle width direction and is close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface portion 10 such as the center pillar, the door, and the side sill, and the seat cushion body (not shown) is provided on both seat cushion brackets 4, 5 and as necessary. A seat cover for the left front seat is formed by a resin cover 12 attached to the seat cross member 8 and attached to the lateral lower end of the seat cushion body to cover the seat cross member end portion 9.

On the other hand, substantially right above the seat cross member 8, the left and right seat back brackets 13 are pivotally supported by the seat cushion brackets 4 and 5, respectively, and the seat back brackets 13 have a substantially annular seat back. The left and right lower portions of the frame 15 are fixed respectively, a seat back main body (not shown) is attached to the seat back frame 15 to form a seat back for the left front seat, and a reclining device (not shown) is provided between the seat cushion bracket 4 and the seat back bracket 13. The seat back is attached to the seat cushion so that the seat back can be tilted to a desired inclination angle.

When another vehicle or the like collides with the vehicle from the side, the collision energy deforms the side surface portion 10 of the vehicle body toward the interior of the vehicle, and the inner surface 11 thereof is indicated by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. As illustrated, when the seat cross member 8 is displaced toward the vehicle interior, the seat cross member 8 projects outward from the seat cushion bracket 4 in the vehicle width direction and is close to the inner surface 11 of the side surface of the vehicle body.
As a result of the end portion 9 of the vehicle body being immediately pressed into the vehicle interior by the vehicle body side surface inner surface 11, the seat cushions connected by the seat cross member 8 to the respective lower flanges 6 fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail 3 by the rivets 7. The flat vertical wall portions of the brackets 4 and 5 incline toward the vehicle interior, respectively, as illustrated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 due to the pressing force of a predetermined value or more. The member 8 is also displaced toward the passenger compartment center side as illustrated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, so that the left front seat is positively moved to the passenger compartment center side.

Therefore, when an occupant is seated in the left front seat, the occupant also moves integrally to the passenger compartment center side as the left front seat moves to the passenger compartment center side.
Since the seat cross member 8 is arranged near the reclining shaft 14 near the center of gravity of the occupant, it is possible to further facilitate the movement of the occupant associated with the above-described movement of the left front seat. It becomes easier for the occupant to keep a distance from the inner surface 11, and the injury of the occupant at the time of a side collision can be reduced to protect the occupant.

As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the lower flanges 6 of the left and right seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 arranged on the upper surface of the upper rail 3 are fitted to the vehicle. A straight groove 20 extending in the width direction and opening to the outside of the passenger compartment or a rivet hole 22 having a narrow notch 21 opening to the outside of the passenger compartment is formed. The groove 20 or the rivet hole 22 is riveted. 7 is inserted,
The seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 are fixed to the upper surfaces of the upper rails 3, respectively, and the vehicle body side surface portion 10 which is deformed toward the vehicle interior at the time of the side collision as described above causes the seat cross member end 9 to move toward the vehicle interior with a force larger than a predetermined force. Press to and rivet 7
Relatively displaces the inside of the groove 20 to the outside of the vehicle compartment, or the rivet 7 relatively spreads the opening 21 of the rivet hole 22 and displaces to the outside of the vehicle compartment, so that both seat cushion brackets 4, 5 are Even if the left front seat is displaced toward the passenger compartment center side so that the left front seat is positively moved to the passenger compartment center side, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the above.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-7,
Similar to the above-described embodiment, the left and right side sill-side seat cushion brackets 4 and the passenger compartment center-side seat cushion brackets 5 whose lower flanges 6 are fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail 3 respectively have rear portions thereof in the vehicle width direction. The end portions 9 of the seat cross member 8 are connected to each other by the extending pipe-shaped seat cross member 8 so as to project outward from the seat cushion bracket 4 in the vehicle width direction, and are close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface portion 10. The seat-shaped cross member 3 is also pipe-shaped and extends in the vehicle width direction.
End portions 3 of the seat cross member 30 connected by 0
1 projects from the seat cushion bracket 4 to the outside in the vehicle width direction by a length substantially equal to the seat cross member end portion 9 and is arranged close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface portion 10. The seat cross member end portion 31 is made of resin. It is covered by the cover 12.

The left and right seat back brackets 13 are also provided.
Are rotatably supported by the seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 by reclining shafts 14, and the left and right lower portions of the substantially annular seatback frame 15 are fixed to the seatback bracket 13, and the reclining shafts 14 are provided near the center of the lower end of the seatback frame 15. While a bracket 33 having an arcuate surface 32 centered at is fixed, a protrusion 34 fixed to the upper surface of the seat cross member 8 is arranged along the arcuate surface 32, and any tilt of the seat back with respect to the seat cushion is fixed. Even if it is in the position, the protrusion 34
Is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction, the vertical wall surface 3 of the bracket 33
5 and the other structures are the same as those of the above-described embodiments.

When a vehicle equipped with this device is laterally collided and the inner surface 11 of the side surface portion 10 of the vehicle body is displaced toward the passenger compartment by substantially the same amount along the outer surface of the seat cushion, the seat cushion bracket 4 moves in the vehicle width direction. As a result of the end portion 9 of the seat cross member 8 and the end portion 31 of the seat cross member 30 that protrude outward and are close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface being immediately pressed toward the vehicle interior by the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface,
Similar to the case of each of the above-described embodiments, both seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 fall toward the passenger compartment and the seat cross members 8 and 30 are displaced toward the passenger compartment center side, or relative to the upper rail 3. By displacing both seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 to the passenger compartment center side, the left front seat can be positively moved in parallel to the passenger compartment center side without compromising the front-rear balance. Can be moved more stably to the passenger compartment center side than in the case of each of the embodiments,
The occupant protection function more excellent than those of the above-described embodiments can be fulfilled.

Further, even if the inner surface 11 of the side surface of the vehicle body is intensively and relatively displaced toward the vehicle interior by the side surface of the front portion of the seat cushion due to a side collision, the end portion 31 of the seat cross member 30 is located on the side surface of the vehicle body. There is also an advantage that the seated occupant can be protected from a side impact by being immediately pushed toward the vehicle interior by the inner surface 11 of the part and positively moving the left front seat toward the vehicle interior center side.

Further, since the bracket 33 and the protrusion 34 which engage with each other in the vehicle width direction are additionally provided in the above-mentioned device, it is possible to immediately respond to the displacement of the seat cross member 8 toward the inside of the vehicle due to a side collision. The seat back frame 15 is also positively displaced toward the passenger compartment, so that the entire left front seat including the seat cushion and the seat back is positively moved to the passenger compartment center side, thus protecting the occupant. The function can be performed more reliably, and the reliability of occupant protection can be further improved.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a seat cross member connecting both seat cushion brackets 4, 5 to the rear outer surface of the left side sill side seat cushion bracket 4 fixed to the upper surface of the upper rail 3. An energy absorbing mechanism 40 is provided which protrudes outward by a size substantially equal to the end portions 9 and 31 of 8 and 30.
The other structures are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.

The energy absorbing mechanism 40 is shown in FIG.
As illustrated in (b) and (c), respectively, a board 42 fixed to the seat cushion bracket 4 and provided with a stopper 41, and a load receiving plate 43 arranged in proximity to an inner surface of a side surface portion of a vehicle body (not shown) A solid material 44 such as urethane foam which is destroyed by a compressive load to absorb energy and is installed between them and a soft resin cover 45, or an appropriate metal. Between the seat cushion bracket 4 and the load receiving plate 43 arranged close to the inner surface of the side surface of the vehicle body (not shown), a plate member 46 that constitutes a hexagonal closed cross section and absorbs energy by its compressive plastic deformation is formed. And has a structure in which they are covered with a soft resin cover 45, or an appropriate metal plate is bent so as to open to one side, and the compression plastic A plate member 47 that absorbs energy by deformation is installed between the seat cushion bracket 4 and a load receiving plate 43 that is arranged close to the inner surface of the side surface of the vehicle body (not shown), and they are covered with a soft resin cover 45. It has a different structure.

Therefore, when a vehicle equipped with this device is laterally collided and the inner surface of the side surface of the vehicle body is displaced toward the interior of the vehicle, the energy absorbing mechanism 40 that protrudes outward from the seat cushion bracket 4 and is close to the inner surface of the side surface portion of the vehicle body. Load receiving plate 43
On the other hand, since a load is immediately applied to the inside of the vehicle, the pressing force thereof causes the solid material 44, the plate material 46, or the plate material 47 to be crushed or plastically deformed to absorb energy. As a result, the impact load acting on the left front seat can be reduced accordingly.

Further, similarly to each of the above-described embodiments, the end portion 9 of the seat cross member 8 and the end portion 31 of the seat cross member 30 are immediately pressed toward the vehicle interior by the inner surface of the side surface of the vehicle body at the time of a side collision of the vehicle. As a result, the left front seat can be positively moved in parallel to the passenger compartment center side without losing the front-rear balance, so that the energy absorbing mechanism 40 reduces the impact load that the left front seat receives from the side collision. The occupant protection function can be fulfilled more than or equal to those of the above-described embodiments.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the side sill side seat cushion bracket 4 and the passenger compartment center, which are substantially L-shaped in vertical section, are respectively provided on the left and right upper rails 3 as in the above-mentioned embodiments. The side seat cushion brackets 5 are arranged, and the respective lower flanges 6 thereof are respectively provided with a plurality of rivets 7 arranged at appropriate intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.
While being fixed to the upper surface of the seat cushion brackets 5, the rear upper portions of the seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 are connected by a pipe-shaped cross member 50 extending in the vehicle width direction, and an end portion 51 of the cross member 50 extends from the seat cushion bracket 4 to the vehicle width. The seat cushion main body (not shown) is mounted on both seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 so as to project outward in the direction and close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface portion 10, and the resin cover 12 attached to the side of the seat cushion main body is a cross member. A seat cushion for the left front seat is formed so as to cover the end portion 51.

On the other hand, the left and right seat back brackets 13
Are rotatably supported by the cross member 50, and the lower ends of the legs of the substantially inverted U-shaped frame 52 are fixed to the seat back bracket 13, respectively, and the seat back frame 53 is fixed by the cross member 50 and the frame 52. A seat back main body (not shown) is attached to the seat back frame 53 to form a seat back of the left front seat, and a reclining device (not shown) is attached between the seat cushion bracket 4 and the seat back bracket 13 to attach the seat cushion to the seat cushion. On the other hand, the seat back is configured to be tiltable to a desired tilt angle.

Therefore, when a vehicle equipped with this device is laterally collided and the inner surface 11 of the side surface of the vehicle body is displaced toward the interior of the vehicle, the cross member which protrudes outward from the seat cushion bracket 4 and is close to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle side surface. End 51 of 50
Is immediately pressed into the vehicle compartment by the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface. Especially, when the vehicle body side surface portion 10 has a large displacement toward the vehicle interior as the center pillar goes above the lower end, Due to the pressing force that the cross member end portion 51 set to be relatively high receives from the large displacement, both seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 fall toward the vehicle interior more than in the case of each of the above-described embodiments, so that the cross member 50 is closed. Displaced to the center side, or the upper rail 3
Since both seat cushion brackets 4 and 5 are displaced toward the passenger compartment center side relatively to the left front seat, the left front seat is relatively moved to the passenger compartment center side. Similarly, as the vehicle moves to the center side, the vehicle body also relatively relatively moves toward the vehicle compartment center side, and it becomes easier for an occupant to secure a distance with respect to the inner surface 11 of the vehicle body side surface portion 10 deformed toward the vehicle interior. The occupant can be protected in the event of a side collision.

Further, the cross member 50 forms a part of the seat back frame 53, and at the same time, the load from the vehicle body side surface portion 10 which is displaced toward the passenger compartment during a side collision can be efficiently transmitted to the left front seat. Although the weight and cost of the device can be easily reduced by reducing the number of parts, the seat cross member 8 and / or the seat cross member 30 in each of the above-described embodiments is added as necessary, so that a side collision can be prevented. It is also possible to enhance the occupant protection function.

The seat cross member or the cross member in each of the above embodiments is provided on the seat cushion or the seat back and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction.
By connecting the left and right seat cushion brackets with the pressure-receiving member that receives the load from the side of the vehicle body that is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction, the seat cushion bracket on the outside in the vehicle width direction can be connected to the other seat cushion bracket inward in the vehicle width direction. It can be divided into a connecting member that transmits a pressing force, and one frame body is fixed across the left and right seat slide rails like an electric seat, and Even in the case where the seat is installed in, the pressure receiving member can be provided in the seat, similarly to the above-described respective embodiments, and further, the above-described respective embodiments relate to the left front seat, respectively. It is needless to say that by arranging them symmetrically in the vehicle width direction, they can be similarly applied to the right front seat, and can have the same effects. There.

[0026]

In the occupant protection system according to the present invention, the pressure receiving member provided on the seat in the vehicle compartment and extending in the vehicle width direction is
Since the seat itself is positively displaced inward in the vehicle width direction by receiving the pressing force from the side surface of the vehicle body that is deformed toward the passenger compartment, the occupant sitting in the seat can easily be displaced inward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the occupant can be protected against the side surface portion of the vehicle body that is deformed toward the inside of the vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a main part in another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

7 is an enlarged view of a vertical cross section taken along line VII-VII of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a main part in still another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a main part in still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Seat Cushion Bracket 5 Seat Cushion Bracket 6 Lower Flange 7 Rivet 8 Seat Cross Member 9 Seat Cross Member End 10 Vehicle Side Side 13 Seat Back Bracket 15 Seat Back Frame 20 Groove 22 Rivet Hole 30 Seat Cross Member 31 Seat Cross Member End 33 bracket 34 protrusion 40 energy absorption mechanism 43 load receiving plate 44 solid material 45 resin cover 46 plate material 47 plate material 50 cross member 51 cross member end 52 frame 53 seat back frame

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A seat supporting device which is mounted on a floor of a vehicle and supports a seat, and which receives a pressing force of a predetermined value or more from a side surface portion of the vehicle body which is provided on the seat and extends in a vehicle width direction and is deformed toward a vehicle interior. An occupant protection device having a pressure receiving member that displaces the seat inward in the vehicle width direction. 2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving member projects outward from the seat in the vehicle width direction and is arranged close to the side surface of the vehicle body. 3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back, and the pressure receiving member is provided on the seat cushion. 4. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back, and the pressure receiving member is provided on the seat back. 5. The seat cushion according to claim 3, further comprising: a bracket supported by the seat supporting device; and a seat cushion body mounted on the bracket for seating an occupant, and the pressure receiving member is provided on the bracket. Occupant protection device. 6. The bracket according to claim 5, wherein the brackets are provided on the left and right sides of the seat cushion, respectively, and the pressure receiving member is provided on one of the brackets arranged outside in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vehicle width direction. An occupant protection device having a connecting member that connects both brackets and transmits the pressing force from one of the brackets to the other. 7. The occupant protection device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting member constitutes a seat cushion frame that supports the seat cushion body. 8. The occupant protection device according to claim 7, wherein the pressure receiving member and the connecting member are integrally formed. 9. The occupant protection device according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of the pressure receiving members and / or the connecting members are formed. 10. The occupant protection device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of the pressure receiving members and / or the connecting members are formed at intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. 11. The occupant protection device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure receiving member includes an energy absorbing member that is plastically deformed by receiving a pressing force from the side surface of the vehicle body. 12. The seat cushion main body according to claim 6, further comprising a seat cushion frame extending between the brackets and a cushion portion mounted on the seat cushion frame for seating an occupant, and the seat back is supported by the bracket. An occupant protection device including a seat back frame, and an interlocking member for locking the seat cushion frame or the connecting member and the seat back frame in the vehicle width direction. 13. The occupant protection device according to claim 4, wherein the seat back includes a seat back frame supported by the bracket, and the pressure receiving member is integrally formed with the seat back frame. 14. The seat according to claim 2, wherein the seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back, the seat back is pivotally supported so as to be tiltable with respect to the seat cushion, and the pressure receiving member is coaxial with the pivot shaft. Arranged occupant protection device. 15. The occupant protection device according to claim 3, wherein the seat cushion has locking means that allows the seat cushion to be displaced inward in the vehicle width direction when the pressing force from the side surface of the vehicle body is equal to or more than a predetermined value. 16. The fixing device according to claim 15, wherein the locking means engages with a groove that extends in the vehicle width direction and opens outward in the vehicle width direction, and fixes the seat cushion on the seat support device. Occupant protection device. 17. The occupant protection device according to claim 16, wherein the opening end width of the groove is smaller than the diameter of the fixture. 18. The occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein the bracket is supported by the seat support device, and a plate-shaped portion extending upward is formed. 19. The bracket according to claim 18, wherein the bracket has a flange portion at a lower end and a vertical wall portion extending upward from the flange portion, the flange portion being fixed to the seat supporting device, and the seat cushion main body being fixed. An occupant protection device mounted on the vertical wall portion. 20. The occupant protection device according to claim 5, wherein the bracket is tilted inward in the vehicle width direction by the pressing force from the side surface of the vehicle body, and the seat is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction.