Patent Description:
Airbag devices have generally become standard equipment in vehicles in recent years. An airbag device is a safety device which is operated in case of an emergency such as a vehicle collision and, for example, expands and deploys to protect the occupant. There are various types of airbag devices depending on the installation site and application. For example, a side airbag that expands and deploys to the immediate sides of an occupant on both sides of a seat is provided in an occupant restraining device in Patent Document <NUM>.

In particular, in the occupant restraining device of Patent Document <NUM>, a tensile cloth is provided that is tensioned during expansion and deployment of the airbag and extends between both sides of the airbag and the seat cushion. Thereby, an effect of suppressing movement of the airbag in the left-right direction by the tensile cloth can be increased. Therefore, occupant restraining performance by the airbag can be further increased.

According to the occupant restraining device of Patent Document <NUM>, movement of the airbag in a direction away from the occupant can be suitably controlled by the tensile cloth, particularly in the left-right direction, and occupant restraining performance by the airbag has increased dramatically. Furthermore, an occupant restraining device comprising all features of the preamble is known form the document <CIT>, in which a pair of airbags are stowed in both the left and right sides of the seat back with a pair of tensile cloths stowed within the seatback along the side of the pair of airbags, wherein the pair of tensile cloths are deployed along the side of the seat on the side opposite to the occupant. However, there is always a need to improve occupant restraining performance for occupant restraining devices. For this reason, the inventors investigated further improvement of the technology of Patent Document <NUM> or <CIT>. Further restraining devices are known from one of the documents <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> or <CIT>.

In light of this type of problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an occupant restraining device capable of further improving occupant restraining performance with a structure having tensile cloth that deploys on the side part of a seat during expansion and deployment of an airbag.

In order to resolve the problems described above, a typical configuration of the occupant restraining device of the present invention includes a pair of airbags that are stowed in both the left and right sides of a seat back portion of the seat and expands and deploys to a side of an occupant sitting on the , wherein the pair of airbags stowed in the seatback of the seat that inflate and deploy respectively on both sides of an occupant seated in the seat; and a pair of tensile cloths stowed from within the seatback of the seat to within the seat cushion along the side of the pair of airbags on the side opposite the occupant respectively, wherein the pair of tensile cloths are deployed along the side of the seat on the side opposite the occupant by the expansion and deployment of the pair of airbags and are stretched from the seatback to the seat cushion to retain surface of the pair of, with an inner bag that is stowed inside at least a first airbag of the pair of airbags and is connected to at least the first airbag and expands and deploys to the side of the torso of the occupant inside at least the first airbag; wherein the inner bag complete expansion and deployment prior to at least a first airbag, wherein the front end of the inner bag is arranged at or behind a position overlapping at least a first of the pair of tensile cloths in a side view when at least a first airbag expands and deploys.

According to the above configuration, the expanded and deployed airbag is biased towards the occupant by the tensile cloth. This enables suppressing movement of the airbag in a direction away from the occupant and restraining of the occupant more securely. In the configuration described above, an inner bag is stowed inside the airbag. The inner bag has a smaller volume than the airbag being contained within the airbag, and therefore requires less gas to expand and deploy. Therefore, the inner bag completes expansion earlier than the airbag. As a result, the torso of the occupant can be restrained quickly in the event of a collision, especially a side impact, and the occupant restraining performance can be further improved.

With this configuration, the tensile cloth does not stretch across the inner bag, and the tensile cloth does not inhibit the expansion and deployment of the inner bag. Therefore, the effects described above can reliably be obtained.

In order to resolve the problems described above, another configuration of the occupant restraining device according to the present invention is an occupant restraining device that restrains an occupant sitting on a seat of a vehicle, comprising a pair of airbags that are stowed in both the left and right sides of a seatback portion of the seat and expands and deploys to a side of an occupant sitting on the seat; and the pair of airbags stowed in the seatback of the seat that inflate and deploy respectively on both sides of an occupant seated on the seat and a pair of tensile cloths stowed from within the seatback of the seat to within the seat cushion along the side of the pair of airbags on the side opposite the occupant respectively, wherein the pair of tensile cloths are deployed along the side of the seat on the side opposite the occupant by the expansion and deployment of the pair of airbags and are stretched from the seatback to the seat cushion to retain the surfaces of the pair of airbags, wherein A partition wall arranged inside at least a first of the pair of airbags and separating at least the first airbag into front and rear portions ; a connecting hole formed in said partition wall and at least the first airbag completes expansion and deployment of the space behind the partition wall before the space in front of the partition wall.

According to the configuration described above, the expanded and deployed airbag is again biased towards the occupant by the tensile cloth. This enables suppressing movement of the airbag in a direction away from the occupant and restraining of the occupant more securely. In the configuration described above, the interior of the airbag is partitioned into two spaces in the front-rear direction by a partition wall. In the airbag, the space in front of the partition wall is hereinafter referred to as the front chamber, and the space behind the partition wall is referred to as the rear chamber. The rear chamber is positioned to the side of the torso of the occupant and expands and deploys before the front chamber. As a result, the torso of the occupant can be restrained quickly in the event of a collision, especially a side impact, and the occupant restraining performance can be further improved.

The partition wall is arranged at or behind a position overlapping at least a first of the pair of tensile cloths in a side view when at least a first airbag expands and deploys. As a result, the tensile cloth does not stretch across the rear chamber, and the tensile cloth does not inhibit expansion and deployment of the rear chamber. Therefore, the effects described above can reliably be obtained.

At least a first airbag described above may include an airbag positioned on the near side of the occupant. This enables suitable prevention of contact between the occupant and the vehicle body in the event of a side collision. Note, of the left and right sides of the occupant seated in a seat, the near side is the side on the vehicle body side, and of the left and right sides of the occupant seated in a seat, the far side is the side that is not on the vehicle body side.

The pair of tensile cloths described above may be deployed along the side of the seat by breaking the seat surface skin. Alternatively, the occupant restraining device may have a pair of cases arranged along the side of the seat for stowing the pair of airbags and the pair of tensile cloths, and the pair of tensile cloths may be deployed from the pair of cases to the side of the seat. With any of the configurations, the aforementioned effect can be favorably achieved.

According to the present invention, an occupant restraining device capable of further improving occupant restraining performance in a configuration provided with a tensile cloth that is deployed along the side of a seat during expansion and deployment of an airbag can be provided.

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. The dimensions, materials, other specific numerical values, etc. indicated in such embodiments are mere exemplifications for ease of understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise noted. Note that in the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially identical functions and configurations are labeled with identical symbols in order to omit redundant descriptions along with the illustration of elements not directly related to the present invention.

Note that regarding this embodiment, when an occupant is seated in a seat in a regular posture, the direction the occupant faces is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear. Moreover, when the occupant is seated in the seat in a regular posture, the right of the occupant is referred to as the right direction, and the left of the occupant is referred to as the left direction. Furthermore, when the occupant is seated in a regular posture, the direction towards the head of the occupant is referred to as up, and the direction towards the legs of the occupant is referred to as down. In addition, as needed, any diagrams used in descriptions below will indicate the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions based on the occupant as described above as Fr, Rr, L, R, Up, and Down.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an occupant restraining device <NUM> according to embodiment <NUM>. For ease of understanding, <FIG> illustrates the members stowed inside a seat <NUM> using hidden lines. Furthermore, in <FIG>, the seat is illustrated with the airbag not expanded and deployed.

The occupant restraining device <NUM> of the present embodiment is a device for restraining an occupant that is seated in the seat <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the occupant restraining device <NUM> of embodiment <NUM> includes the seat <NUM>, airbags 120a and 120b, left side tensile cloth 130a, and right side tensile cloth 130b of the vehicle (full vehicle not shown). The seat <NUM> includes a seatback <NUM> that supports the upper body of the occupant. A seat cushion <NUM> is provided below the seatback <NUM> on which the occupant sits. A headrest <NUM> is provided above the seatback that supports the head of the occupant.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the pair of airbags 120a and 120b (side airbags) are stowed in both the left and right sides of the seatback <NUM> of the seat <NUM>, which are covered by covers <NUM>. The cover <NUM> includes a part of the outer skin of the seat <NUM>. The pair of airbags 120a and 120b expand and deploy on both sides of the occupant seated in the seat <NUM> during a collision or the like of the vehicle. A structure where a cover <NUM> is integrated with the surface skin of the seat is illustrated but is not limited thereto, and the seat surface skin and cover can be separate.

A pair of tensile cloths 130a and 130b are provided for each of the airbags 120a and 120b in this embodiment. The pair of tensile cloths 130a and 130b are respectively stored from inside the seatback <NUM> of the seat <NUM> to in the seat cushion <NUM> through the side of the stored pair of airbags 120a and 120b opposite the occupant.

<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams that illustrate the state of the airbags 120a and 120b of <FIG> during expansion and deployment. <FIG> illustrate a state in which an occupant P is seated in the seat <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and a state where the airbags 120a and 120b are expanded and deployed is observed from above. <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a state where an occupant P is seated in the seat <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and a state where the airbag 120a having been expanded and deployed is observed from the side.

As illustrated in <FIG>, of the left and right sides of the occupant P, a vehicle body <NUM> is positioned on the left side. Accordingly, with regards to the left/right pair of airbags 120a and 120b, the airbag 120a on the left side is an airbag positioned on the near side and the airbag 120b on the right side is an airbag positioned on the far side.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the occupant restraining device <NUM> of the present embodiment, the inner bag <NUM> is housed in a rearward area inside the left airbag 120a (nearside airbag) facing the vehicle body side <NUM> of the left and right pairs of airbags 120a and 120b. The inner bag <NUM> has a smaller volume than the airbag 120a because it is stowed inside the airbag 120a. Therefore, expansion and deployment of the inner bag <NUM> is completed with a smaller amount of gas than that for the airbag 120a. An inner vent <NUM> is formed in the inner bag <NUM>. Thus, the airbag 120a and the inner bag <NUM> are connected at the inner vent <NUM>.

When a vehicle collision is detected, gas is supplied to the inner bag <NUM> by an inflator (not illustrated). Therefore, the inner bag <NUM> completes expansion and deployment before the airbag 120a, as illustrated in <FIG>. At this time, the inner bag <NUM> expands and deploys to the side of the torso P1 (see <FIG>) of the occupant P inside the airbag 120a because the inner bag <NUM> is arranged in the rearward area of the airbag 120a. Thereafter, gas then flows out of the inner vent <NUM> of the inner bag <NUM>, supplying gas to the airbag 120a. This completes expansion and deployment of the airbag 120a, as illustrated in <FIG>.

As described above, with the occupant restraining device <NUM> of the present embodiment, the inner bag <NUM>, which has a smaller capacity than the airbag 120a, expands and deploys to the side of the torso P1 of the occupant P before the airbag 120a. This allows the torso P1 of the occupant P to be restrained quickly during a collision. Therefore, high occupant restraining performance can be obtained by the occupant restraining device <NUM>.

In particular, with the present embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, the front end 140a of the inner bag <NUM> is arranged at a position overlapping with the tensile cloth 130a in a side view when the airbag 120a is expanded and deployed. As a result, the tensile cloth 130a does not stretch across the inner bag <NUM>, and the tensile cloth 130a does not inhibit the expansion and deployment of the inner bag <NUM>. Therefore, the effects described above can reliably be obtained.

Note, with this embodiment, a configuration in which the front end 140a of the inner bag <NUM> is arranged at a position overlapping with the tensile cloth 130a is illustrated, but is not limited thereto. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the same effect can be obtained in a configuration in which the front end 140a of the inner bag <NUM> is arranged behind the position where the inner bag <NUM> overlaps with the tensile cloth 130a, that is, in a configuration in which the inner bag <NUM> and the tensile cloth 130a do not overlap in a side view.

Further, in the occupant restraining device <NUM> of the present embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, when the airbags 120a and 120b expand and deploy, the tensile cloths 130a and 130b deploy to the side of the seat <NUM> by breaking open the surface skin of the seat <NUM>. Therefore, the tensile cloths 130a and 130b are stretched from the seatback <NUM> to the seat cushion <NUM>, and the surfaces opposite the occupant P of the airbags 120a and 120b, respectively, are retained by the tensile cloths 130a and 130b. Furthermore, the airbags 120a and 120b are then biased against the occupant P by the tensile cloths 130a and 130b, thereby enhancing the occupant restraining performance of the airbags 120a and 120b.

<FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> are diagrams illustrating an occupant restraining device <NUM> in embodiment <NUM>. <FIG> illustrate a state in which an occupant P is seated in the seat <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and a state where the airbags 120a and 120b having been expanded and deployed is observed from above. <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a state where an occupant P is seated in the seat <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, and the state where the airbag 120a having been expanded and deployed is observed from the side. Note that all components in embodiment <NUM> that are common with those of embodiment <NUM> are given the same sign and their explanations are omitted.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the occupant restraining device <NUM> of embodiment <NUM>, a partition wall <NUM> is provided inside the airbag 120a instead of the inner bag <NUM> in embodiment <NUM>. The partition wall <NUM> demarcates the interior of the airbag 120a into front and rear sections. In the interior of the airbag 120a, the space in front of the partition wall <NUM> is hereinafter referred to as the front chamber <NUM>, and the space behind the partition wall <NUM> is referred to as the rear chamber <NUM>. A connecting hole <NUM> is formed in the partition wall <NUM>. This connects the front chamber <NUM> to the rear chamber <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, of the two chambers of the airbag 120a, the rear chamber <NUM> is arranged to the side of the torso P1 of the occupant P. When a vehicle collision is detected, of the parts of the airbag 120a, gas is supplied to the rear chamber <NUM> by an inflator (not illustrated). Therefore, with the airbag 120a, the rear chamber <NUM> completes expansion and deployment before the front chamber <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

Here, the rear chamber <NUM> expands and deploys to the side of the torso P1 of the occupant P (see <FIG>), thereby quickly restraining the torso P1 of the occupant P in the event of a collision. Accordingly, high occupant restraining performance can be achieved by the occupant restraining device <NUM> during a collision, especially during a side impact.

Thereafter, gas flows from the connecting hole <NUM> of the partition wall <NUM> and is supplied to the front chamber <NUM>. This completes expansion and deployment of the front chamber <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. Accordingly, the occupant P is restrained by the front chamber <NUM> and the rear chamber <NUM>, in other words, the entire airbag 120a.

In particular, with the present embodiment, as illustrated in <FIG>, the partition wall <NUM> is arranged at a position overlapping with the tensile cloth 130a in a side view when the airbag 120a is expanded and deployed. As a result, the tensile cloth 130a does not stretch across the rear chamber <NUM>, and the tensile cloth 130a does not inhibit expansion and deployment of the rear chamber <NUM>. Therefore, the effects described above can reliably be obtained.

Note, with this embodiment, a configuration in which the partition wall <NUM> is arranged at a position overlapping with the tensile cloth 130a is illustrated, but is not limited thereto. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, the same effect can be obtained in a configuration in which the partition wall <NUM> is arranged rearward of the position where it overlaps with the tensile cloth 130a, in other words, in a configuration in which the rear chamber <NUM> and the tensile cloth 130a do not overlap in a side view.

In the description above, both the occupant restraining device <NUM> of embodiment <NUM> and the occupant restraining device <NUM> of embodiment <NUM> illustrate configurations in which the left side airbag 120a located on the near side has an inner bag <NUM> or a partition wall <NUM>. However, these are not limitations thereto, and a configuration of positioning an airbag on the far side or a configuration in which both left and right airbags are provided with inner bags <NUM> or partition walls <NUM> are feasible.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating another example of an occupant restraining device. The occupant restraining device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> includes cases 118a and 118b arranged along the side of the seat <NUM>. Case 118a is the case where airbags 120a and 120b are stowed and case 118b is the case where tensile cloths 130a and 130b are stowed.

With the occupant restraining device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, the tensile cloths 130a and 130b are deployed from the case 118b to the side of the seat <NUM> during expansion and deployment of the airbags 120a and 120b. This configuration will also provide the same effects as the occupant restraining device <NUM> described above.

Preferred examples of the present invention were described above while referring to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention, and other embodiments can be implemented or performed by various methods. In particular, unless described otherwise in the specification of the present application, the invention is not restricted to the shape, size, configurational disposition, and the like of parts illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, expressions and terms used in the specification of the present application are used for providing a description, and the invention is not limited thereto, unless specifically described otherwise.

Therefore, it is obvious that a person with ordinary skill in the art can conceive of various changed examples or modified examples within the scope described in the scope of the claims, which is understood to naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be used in an occupant restraining device that restrains an occupant sitting on a seat of a vehicle.

Claim 1:
An occupant restraining device (<NUM>) that restrains an occupant sitting on a seat (<NUM>) of a vehicle, comprising:
a pair of airbags (120a, 120b) that are stowed in both the left and right sides of a seatback (<NUM>) portion of the seat (<NUM>) and expands and deploys to a side of an occupant sitting on the seat (<NUM>); and
the pair of airbags (120a, 120b) stowed in the seatback (<NUM>) of the seat (<NUM>) that inflate and deploy respectively on both sides of an occupant seated in the seat (<NUM>);
a pair of tensile cloths (130a, 130b) stowed from within the seatback (<NUM>) of the seat (<NUM>) to within the seat cushion (<NUM>) along the side of the pair of airbags (120a, 120b), on the side opposite the occupant respectively; wherein
the pair of tensile cloths (130a, 130b) are deployed along the side of the seat (<NUM>) on the side opposite the occupant by the expansion and deployment of the pair of airbags (120a, 120b), and are stretched from the seatback (<NUM>) to the seat cushion (<NUM>) to retain the surface of the pair of airbags (120a, 120b),
characterized by
an inner bag (<NUM>) that is stowed inside at least a first airbag of the pair of airbags (120a, 120b) and is connected to at least the first airbag and expands and deploys to the side of the torso (P1) of the occupant inside at least the first airbag; wherein
the inner bag (<NUM>) completes expansion and deployment prior to at least a first airbag,
wherein the front end (140a) of the inner bag (<NUM>) is arranged at or behind a position overlapping at least a first of the pair of tensile cloths (130a, 130b) in a side view when at least a first airbag is expanded and deployed.