Occupant protection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524654-B2
Application number	US-202117400613-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2021
Priority date	Aug 26, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

An occupant protection device for a vehicle includes a collision detector, a main airbag, a belt airbag, a belt controller, a distance detector, and an airbag controller. The collision detector detects a collision of the vehicle. In response to the collision detector detecting the collision, the main airbag deploys from a storage position toward an occupant seated on a seat of the vehicle. The belt airbag is stored in a seatbelt. The belt controller controls winding of the seatbelt, extraction of the seatbelt, and prohibition of the extraction of the seatbelt. The distance detector detects a distance from the storage position to the occupant. When the collision detector detects the collision of the vehicle and the detected distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the airbag controller deploys the belt airbag from within the seatbelt without causing the belt controller to prohibit the extraction of the seatbelt.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, the occupant protection device comprising:
a collision detector configured to detect a collision of the vehicle;
a main airbag configured to, in response to the collision detector detecting the collision of the vehicle, deploy from a predetermined storage position toward an occupant who is to be seated on a seat of the vehicle, the storage position being located in front of the seat;
a belt airbag stored in a seatbelt configured to restrain the occupant;
a belt controller configured to control winding of the seatbelt, extraction of the seatbelt, and prohibition of the extraction of the seatbelt;
a distance detector configured to detect a distance from the storage position of the main airbag to the occupant or the seat; and
an airbag controller configured to, when (i) the collision detector detects the collision of the vehicle and (ii) the distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, deploy the belt airbag from within the seatbelt without causing the belt controller to prohibit the extraction of the seatbelt for a predetermined time period.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1 , wherein
the distance detector is configured to detect the distance based on a position of the seat.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1 , wherein
the airbag controller is configured to control the belt controller to prohibit the extraction of the seatbelt when the belt airbag is deployed by a predetermined amount.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 2 , wherein
the airbag controller is configured to control the belt controller to prohibit the extraction of the seatbelt when the belt airbag is deployed by a predetermined amount.

5. An occupant protection device for a vehicle, the occupant protection device comprising:
first circuitry configured to detect a collision of the vehicle;
a main airbag configured to, in response to the first circuitry detecting the collision of the vehicle, deploy from a predetermined storage position toward an occupant who is to be seated on a seat of the vehicle, the storage position being located in front of the seat;
a belt airbag stored in a seatbelt configured to restrain the occupant;
a belt controller configured to control winding of the seatbelt, extraction of the seatbelt, and prohibition of the extraction of the seatbelt;
second circuitry configured to
detect a distance from the storage position of the main airbag to the occupant or the seat where the occupant is seated; and
when (i) the first circuitry detects the collision of the vehicle and (ii) the distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, deploy the belt airbag from within the seatbelt without causing the belt controller to prohibit the extraction of the seatbelt for a predetermined time period.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kanegae Shota
• Yamashita Toru

Classifications

• B60R21/18

  the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement · CPC title

• B60R2021/01265

  Seat belts · CPC title

• B60R21/0134

  responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle {, e.g. using radar systems} · CPC title

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60R21/0136 Primary

  responsive to actual contact with an obstacle {, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle (monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558)} · CPC title