Patent ID: 7207598

Claim:
An occupant protection device mountable on a vehicle, comprising: an interior decoration member located around a vehicle occupant, the interior decoration member including an opening located close to a target area of the occupant to be restrained upon collision of the vehicle; a restraint body accommodated in the opening of the interior decoration member, the restraint body protruding from the opening of the interior decoration member for restraining the movement of the target area upon collision by a side thereof facing the occupant; a driving mechanism joined to the restraint body for moving the restraint body, the driving mechanism moving the restraint body to a position for restraining the movement of the target area of the occupant when a collision of a vehicle is predicted, and the mechanism returning the restraint body protruded from the opening of the interior decoration member to the opening when the collision is avoided; and a guide means located in the vicinity of the outer edge of the restraint body for guiding the return of the restraint body to the opening of the interior decoration member, wherein: each of the outer edge of the restraint body and the edge of the interior decoration member around the opening is provided in a position corresponding to the other with a fitting portion, the fitting portions detachably fitting each other when the restraint body is back in the original position; at least either one of the pair of the fitting portions includes a guide surface for guiding the fitting of the fitting portions; and the fitting portions and the guide surface constitute the guide means.