JPH05208653A - Protecting device for vehicle occupant - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a leg part of a vehicle occupant of rushing into a knee bag device from opening out. CONSTITUTION:An air bag device 20 is provided downward of an instrument panel 10. An air bag 22 of this air bag device 20 is spread into a shape in which the center front of a seat 16 is formed into a recessed part to protrude both width direction end sides of the seat 16 toward the seat 16. In this way, when an automobile collides, the air bag 22 is unfolded. A leg part of a vehicle occupant is moved toward the air bag 22. The leg part of the occupant is advanced into a recessed part 22B of the air bag 22 to prevent the leg part from opening out. The body of the occupant is prevented from being displaced to right/left and stabilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection device, and more particularly to an occupant leg protection device called a knee bag device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle occupant protection device having an airbag (knee bag) deployed in front of a leg of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-24110 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-28050. It is described in. By deploying this knee bag, the occupant's submarine movement (movement of the body that crawls into the lower front part of the seat) is prevented.
The lower body of the occupant can be protected.

[0003]

In the conventional knee bag device, the shape of the expanded airbag (the expanded shape of the airbag) is substantially uniform across the width of the seat.

With such a developed shape, when the leg portion of the occupant plunges into the deployed airbag, the leg portion may open in the crotch cracking direction. In other words, the right leg that protrudes into the airbag may slide to the right side of the airbag, and the left leg may slide to the left side of the airbag, which may cause a crotch crack that opens both legs.

[0005]

A vehicle occupant protection system according to the present invention includes an air bag having an air bag which is deployed in front of a seat and in a height region including a height of a seat surface of the seat. In the vehicle occupant protection device including a bag device, the deployment shape of the airbag is characterized in that both widthwise ends of the seat are projected toward the seat.

[0006]

In such a vehicle occupant protection system of the present invention, the airbag has a deployed shape in which the portion facing the center of the seat is recessed, and the legs of the occupant thrust into the airbag are protected. Enter the recess. Therefore, the legs of the occupant are prevented from opening.

[0007]

Embodiments Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle occupant protection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an expanded airbag shape, and FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the protection apparatus. is there.

In FIG. 1, 10 is an instrument panel, 12 is a steering wheel, 14 is a console box, 16 is a seat, and 18 is a windshield. An airbag device 20 is provided on the lower surface of the instrument panel 10. The airbag device 20 has a configuration in which an airbag is folded and stored in a case, and an inflator for generating gas is attached to the case. When this inflator is activated, the airbag is deployed, the front side of the case is torn, and the airbag 2
2 deploys in front of the seat 16.

In this embodiment, the airbag device 20 is used.
Is provided at a position closer to the right side than the center front of the seat 16, and is configured to widen the space around the legs of an occupant sitting on the seat 16. However, the airbag device 20 may be arranged in the center front of the seat 16 or may be arranged on the left side of the center front.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the airbag 22 has a shape in which both widthwise ends of the seat 16 are convex portions 22A and 22C projecting toward the seat 16.
That is, in the front of the central portion of the seat 16, a recess 22B that is recessed in a direction away from the seat 16 is formed.

With such an airbag deployment shape,
As shown in FIG. 3, when the legs 26, 28 of the vehicle occupant 24 are thrust into the airbag 22 during a vehicle collision, the legs 2
6, 28 enter the recess 22B, which causes the legs 26,
The crotch crack that opens 28 to the left and right is prevented. Further, since the occupant's legs 26, 28 are securely held by the airbag 22, the legs of the vehicle occupant are prevented from moving toward the door of the automobile or the center console 14 side and hitting them. Of course, the body of the vehicle occupant is the airbag 22.
Since the vehicle occupant is protected as if it is held in the center of the vehicle, it is possible to hold and protect the body of the vehicle occupant without shifting the body to the left or right.

According to the present invention, the degree of restraint of the left leg 26 and the right leg 28 of the occupant can be equalized by increasing the airbag capacity on the vehicle center side (the convex portion 22C side), which has a large vehicle interior space.

Although the above embodiments relate to the protective device for the driver's seat, it is clear that the present invention is also applicable to the protective device for the passenger seat.

[0014]

As described above, according to the vehicle occupant protection device of the present invention, the leg portion of the vehicle occupant that has thrust into the deployed airbag is prevented from opening. Further, the body of the vehicle occupant can be held and protected in the center of the airbag.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inside of a vehicle equipped with a protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a developed shape of an airbag.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an operation example of the embodiment apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 instrument panel 12 steering 14 console box 16 seat 18 windshield 20 airbag device 22 airbags 22A, 22C convex portion 22B concave portion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle occupant protection device including an airbag device having an airbag which is deployed in front of a seat and in a height region including a height of a seat surface of the seat. The vehicle occupant protection device is characterized in that the developed shape is such that both widthwise ends of the seat project toward the seat.