Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-19
2001-03-27
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S728200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206411
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile.
BACKGROUND ART
As an airbag apparatus for an automobile, there is an airbag apparatus for lateral collision where an airbag is developed forward from a side portion of a backrest at a time of lateral collision of an automobile to protect a vehicle occupant (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-136598 as a similar art).
In such an earlier technology, an airbag is developed forward while it is being expanded by gas injected from an inflator. Particularly in a case of an airbag apparatus for lateral collision, since a space between a vehicle occupant and a side wall of a vehicle body is narrow, the airbag is sometimes held between the occupant and the side wall during the development thereof, whereby the airbag is pressed downwardly. This is not preferable because, when the airbag is pressed downwardly, a developing speed of the airbag is reduced corresponding to a magnitude of the pressing force.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it has been desired to propose a novel airbag apparatus capable of further increasing the developing speed of an airbag.
The present invention has been achieved to meet such a requirement, and it provides a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile which can increase a developing speed of an airbag.
A first aspect of the invention is a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile, comprising: an armrest formed on a vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest and having a generally horizontal upper face; an airbag disposed at a side portion of the backrest; and an inflator for injecting gas into the airbag at a time of collision to develop the airbag forward and above the armrest, wherein a bottom face of the airbag developed forward contacts with the upper face of the armrest.
According to the above structure, as the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed forward contacts with the upper face of the armrest, an upward reaction force can be applied from the upper face of the armrest to the airbag which has been pressed downward during development, thereby increasing a developing speed of the airbag.
In the configuration of the first aspect, a second aspect of the invention is structured such that the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed contacts with the upper face of the armrest in an overlapping manner.
According to the above structure, as not only the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed contacts merely with the upper face of the armrest but also the bottom face of the airbag contacts with the upper face of the armrest in an overlapping manner, a positive downward force is applied from the bottom face of the airbag on the upper face of the armrest. As a result, since an upward reaction force acting upon the airbag from the upper face of the armrest is further increased, the developing speed of the airbag is further improved. Particularly, an upward developing speed of the airbag is increased. Also, according to such a structure that the bottom face of the airbag contacts with the upper face of the armrest in the overlapping manner, even when a mounting error between the airbag and the armrest in a vertical direction or a variation of a vertical position of the backrest according to a reclining angle thereof occurs, such an error or variation can be absorbed.
In the configuration of the first aspect, a third aspect of the invention is structured such that the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed has a bent configuration which has been expanded downwardly.
According to the above structure, as the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed has the bent configuration which has been expanded downwardly, the contacting state between the bottom face of the airbag and the upper face of the armrest can be obtained without increasing the volume of the airbag so largely, as compared with a case that the bottom wall of the airbag is lowered while it is kept in a flat state. Since the volume of the airbag is not so increased, such a structure is effective for improving the developing speed of the airbag.
In the structure of the first aspect, a fourth aspect of the invention is structured such that the airbag has a generally L-shaped configuration and is partitioned into an upper head protecting portion and a lower chest protecting portion by a partitioning wall cloth with a vent hole provided inside the airbag, wherein the gas from the inflator is injected into the chest protecting portion.
According to the above configuration, as the chest protecting portion of the airbag is first developed forward by the gas injected by the inflator, the forward developing speed is improved.
In the structure of the fourth aspect, a fifth aspect of the invention is structured such that a gas injecting hole for injecting gas is formed on a bottom wall side of the chest protecting portion.
According to the above configuration, as the gas injecting hole is formed at a side face lower portion of the inflator, the gas is injected from the bottom face of the chest protecting portion along an inside face thereof, so that the development of the chest protecting portion is accelerated, thereby further increasing the developing speed of the chest protecting portion.
In the structure of the fifth aspect, a sixth aspect of the invention is structured such that the inflator is disposed along the backrest and the gas injecting hole is formed at a side face and lower end of the inflator.
According to the above configuration, as the gas injecting hole is formed at the side face lower end of the inflator, the gas is injected from the bottom face of the chest protecting portion along an inside face thereof, so that the development of the chest protecting portion is accelerated, thereby increasing further the developing speed of the chest protecting portion.
In the structure of the first aspect, a seventh aspect of the invention is structured such that the bottom face of the airbag contacting with the upper face of the armrest is subject to an upward reaction force from the upper face of the armrest.
According to the above configuration, as the upward reaction force acting from the upper face of the armrest on the airbag is further increased, even when the air bag is held between a vehicle occupant and a door to be pressed downwardly, the airbag can resist on a force acting so as to press the airbag downwardly, so that the airbag is developed forward. Since the airbag is prevented from being pressed downward, the airbag reaches a final developed state in a shorter time than that of a conventional airbag. That is, the developing speed of the airbag is improved.
An eighth aspect of the invention is a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile, comprising an armrest disposed on a vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest and having a generally horizontal upper face; an airbag disposed in a side portion of the backrest above the armrest and at a position facing the armrest; and an inflator injecting gas into the airbag at a time of collision to develop the airbag forward and above the armrest, wherein the airbag has a bottom face which expands towards the upper face of the armrest during development of the airbag to contact with the upper face of the armrest.
According to the above configuration, as it has such a structure that the bottom face of the airbag merely contact with the upper face of the armrest, even when the airbag is held between a vehicle occupant and a door to be pressed downwardly, an upward reaction force acts on the airbag which has been pressed downwardly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5586782 (1996-12-01), Zimmerman, II et al.
patent: 5803485 (1999-06-01), Acker et al.
patent: 5913536 (1999-06-01), Brown
patent: 9-136600 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 3038479 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 9-202203 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 10-100764 (1998-04-01), Non
Johnson Brian L.
Luby Matthew
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
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