Abstract: A vehicular seat belt device including: a belt reel on which a webbing that restrains an occupant is wound; an actuator that generates instantaneous rotational drive force by gas that is generated during an emergency; a flywheel that rotates by the rotational drive force of the actuator; a speed increasing mechanism that is housed inside the flywheel and that increases the rotational speed of the actuator and transmits it to the flywheel; and a connecting and disconnecting unit that connects a low-speed rotation side of the speed increasing mechanism and the belt reel during rotation of the flywheel, wherein the belt reel rotates to the webbing winding-up direction by the rotational drive force of the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle seat that receives by a seatback a load that is input from the side of a vehicle, the vehicle seat including a plate member that has a plurality of uneven portions in which a ridgeline portion extends along the vehicle width direction and is attached to a seatback frame.

Abstract: A vehicular seat belt device including: a belt reel on which a webbing that restrains an occupant is wound; an actuator that generates instantaneous rotational drive force by gas that is generated during an emergency; a flywheel that rotates by the rotational drive force of the actuator; a speed increasing mechanism that is housed inside the flywheel and that increases the rotational speed of the actuator and transmits it to the flywheel; and a connecting and disconnecting unit that connects a low-speed rotation side of the speed increasing mechanism and the belt reel during rotation of the flywheel, wherein the belt reel rotates to the webbing winding-up direction by the rotational drive force of the actuator.

Abstract: In a lock device of a sliding mechanism, a pair of locking claws provided on a moving member are brought into resilient engagement with locking grooves of a locking groove group, whereby downward sliding of the moving member is permitted but upward sliding thereof is locked. The distance between the locking claws is longer than distance between the locking grooves, so that the moving member becomes locked against upward sliding at an interval smaller than the distance between the locking grooves. Thus, the moving member adapted to slide in one (downward) direction along a guide rail can be reliably locked against movement in the opposite (upward) direction at a very small interval.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle seat that receives by a seatback a load that is input from the side of a vehicle, the vehicle seat including a plate member that has a plurality of uneven portions in which a ridgeline portion extends along the vehicle width direction and is attached to a seatback frame.

Abstract: In a lock device of a sliding mechanism, a pair of locking claws provided on a moving member are brought into resilient engagement with locking grooves of a locking groove group, whereby downward sliding of the moving member is permitted but upward sliding thereof is locked. The distance between the locking claws is longer than distance between the locking grooves, so that the moving member becomes locked against upward sliding at an interval smaller than the distance between the locking grooves. Thus, the moving member adapted to slide in one (downward) direction along a guide rail can be reliably locked against movement in the opposite (upward) direction at a very small interval.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant knee protection apparatus for protecting the knees of an occupant when collision energy acts on a vehicle. The occupant knee protection apparatus comprises a knee protection member, a contact force detector, a controller, and a drive unit. The knee protection member is disposed in an opposable position to knees of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat. The contact force detector detects the contact force of the knees on the knee protection member. The controller performs control that reduces the contact force to a force control target value and that maintains the reduced value. The drive unit moves the knee protection member in the front/rear direction of the vehicle on the basis of an output signal from the controller.

Abstract: Protection apparatus includes: a seat back pivotable between reclined and upright positions; a pivoting-angle adjustment section for adjusting the pivoting angle of the seat back through a motor; a prediction section for predicting an object likely to collide against the vehicle from behind; a control section for controlling the adjustment section, in accordance with a prediction signal generated by the prediction section, to cause the seat back to be pivoted to a practically vertical upright position. The control section is arranged to control the adjustment section in accordance with not only the prediction signal but also an operation signal from a manual seat operating section. When the prediction signal has been received, the control section controls the adjustment section to cause the seat back to be pivoted to the practically vertical upright position at higher speed than when the operation signal has been received.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant knee protection apparatus for protecting the knees of an occupant when collision energy acts on a vehicle. The occupant knee protection apparatus comprises a knee protection member, a contact force detector, a controller, and a drive unit. The knee protection member is disposed in an opposable position to knees of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat. The contact force detector detects the contact force of the knees on the knee protection member. The controller performs control that reduces the contact force to a force control target value and that maintains the reduced value. The drive unit moves the knee protection member in the front/rear direction of the vehicle on the basis of an output signal from the controller.

Abstract: Protection apparatus includes: a seat back pivotable between reclined and upright positions; a pivoting-angle adjustment section for adjusting the pivoting angle of the seat back through a motor; a prediction section for predicting an object likely to collide against the vehicle from behind; a control section for controlling the adjustment section, in accordance with a prediction signal generated by the prediction section, to cause the seat back to be pivoted to a practically vertical upright position. The control section is arranged to control the adjustment section in accordance with not only the prediction signal but also an operation signal from a manual seat operating section. When the prediction signal has been received, the control section controls the adjustment section to cause the seat back to be pivoted to the practically vertical upright position at higher speed than when the operation signal has been received.

Abstract: An end of a seat belt is connected to an actuator that can selectively remove a slack from the seat belt. The actuator includes a main actuator unit, a flywheel which provides a maximum inertia effect for a given space, and a cushioning member for decelerating a movement of the moveable end of the seat belt following a certain initial travel of the moveable end. The main actuator unit produces an early rise in the vehicle occupant deceleration, and the cushioning member smoothly connects the time history of the vehicle occupant deceleration to a ride-down condition whereby the deceleration acting on the vehicle occupant is favorably spread over time, and the maximum level of the deceleration can be minimized. The flywheel contributes to a favorable shaping of the time history of the vehicle occupant deceleration.

Abstract: The present occupant protective apparatus includes a vehicle body in which a portion to be deformed on receiving a collision load (in the illustrated embodiment, the front side frames) is formed at least in front of a vehicle room (3), a structure made of a rigid body supported on the vehicle body in such a manner that it is movable backward on receiving the collision load (in the illustrated embodiment, the engine 6), seats (8) each including a seat belt (9) for constraining an occupant seated on the seat (8) and supported on the vehicle body so as to be movable in the back-and-forth direction of the vehicle body, and a power transmission mechanism for transmitting the backward movement of the structure to thereby move the seats (8) backward (in the illustrated embodiment, the cable 13).

Abstract: An end of a seat belt is connected to an actuator that can selectively remove a slack from the seat belt. The actuator includes a main actuator unit, and a cushioning member for decelerating a movement of the moveable end of the seat belt following a certain initial travel of the moveable end. The main actuator unit includes a cylinder integrally attached to a part of the vehicle body, a piston member slidably received in the cylinder and connected to the moveable end, a pyrotechnic gas generator provided on one end of the cylinder, and an accumulator chamber defining a prescribed volume and communicating with an output end of the pyrotechnic gas generator. The main actuator unit produces an early rise in the vehicle occupant deceleration, and the cushioning member smoothly connects the time history of the vehicle occupant deceleration to a ride-down condition whereby the deceleration acting on the vehicle occupant is favorably spread over time, and the maximum level of the deceleration can be minimized.

Abstract: A lock plate and a movable plate are provided to fix a seat at an optional position, and an actuator is provided between the seat and the movable plate. The seat is moved to the rear of a vehicle body in an initial stage of impact by the actuator. Acceleration is generated in the seat through impact abutment of a collapsible tube in the actuator against a piston head in an intermediate stage of impact. In a final stage of the impact, the seat is made integral with the vehicle body. The deceleration of the vehicle body and the seat and the deceleration of an occupant can be made equal to each other at an earlier timing. The apparatus can be installed by making use of a space under the seat, whereby the necessity of securing a special vacant space for installation of the apparatus can be obviated.

Abstract: In a vehicle occupant protection system comprising a seat for seating a vehicle occupant in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and a seat belt for restraining a vehicle occupant seated in the seat, the seat belt is pulled rearward by a power actuator in an early stage of a vehicle crash to apply deceleration to the vehicle occupant before the vehicle body has started decelerating so that the vehicle occupant is prevented from being subjected to a deceleration level which is higher than an unacceptable level of deceleration throughout the entire period of the vehicle crash.

Abstract: A lock plate and a movable plate are provided to fix a seat at an optional position, and an actuator is provided between the seat and the movable plate. The seat is moved to the rear of a vehicle body in an initial stage of impact by the actuator. Acceleration is generated in the seat through impact abutment of a collapsible tube in the actuator against a piston head in an intermediate stage of impact. In a final stage of the impact, the seat is made integral with the vehicle body. The deceleration of a vehicle body and a seat and the deceleration of an occupant can be made equal to each other at an earlier timing. The apparatus can be installed by making use of a space under the seat, whereby the necessity of securing a special vacant space for installation of the apparatus can be obviated.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is mounted on a floor in a laterally inwardly moveable manner, and is accelerated by a crash load input member, which is more rigid than the remaining part of the vehicle body, inwardly upon occurrence of a vehicle side crash. The vehicle occupant is firmly held to the seat. By thus appropriately controlling the time history of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle occupant at the time of a side crash, the maximum acceleration acting on the vehicle occupant can be controlled. The inward movement of the seat relative to the vehicle body provides a wider space between the vehicle occupant and door panel, and this contributes to the prevention of the injury to the vehicle occupant owing to the intrusion of the door panel into the passenger compartment at the time of a side crash.

Abstract: A lock plate and a movable plate are provided to fix a seat at an optional position, and an actuator is provided between the seat and the movable plate. The seat is moved to the rear of a vehicle body in an initial stage of impact by the actuator. Acceleration is generated in the seat through impact abutment of a collapsible tube in the actuator against a piston head in an intermediate stage of impact. In a final stage of the impact, the seat is made integral with the vehicle body. The deceleration of a vehicle body and a seat and the deceleration of an occupant can be made equal to each other at an earlier timing. The apparatus can be installed by making use of a space under the seat, whereby the necessity of securing a special vacant space for installation of the apparatus can be obviated.

Abstract: A vehicle seat is mounted on a floor in a laterally inwardly moveable manner, and is accelerated by a power actuator inwardly upon detection of a vehicle side crash. The vehicle occupant is firmly held to the seat. By thus appropriately controlling the time history of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle occupant at the time of a side crash, the maximum acceleration acting on the vehicle occupant can be controlled. The inward movement of the seat provides a wider space between the vehicle occupant and door panel, and this contributes to the prevention of the injury to the vehicle occupant owing to the intrusion of the door panel into the passenger compartment at the time of a side crash.

Abstract: In an automotive vehicle occupant protection system, the vehicle body comprises a chassis and a vehicle body main part mounted on said chassis in a relatively moveable manner in a fore-and-aft direction, and an arrangement for engaging a vehicle body main part to the chassis under normal condition, and releasing the vehicle body main part from the chassis upon occurrence of a vehicle crash, and a bumper member provided on the chassis and adapted to collide with a stopper member provided on the vehicle body main part after a prescribed rearward travel of the chassis relative to the vehicle body main part. Thus, upon occurrence of a crash, the chassis having a substantial mass starts decelerating, and moves rearward with respect to the remaining part of the vehicle body. This in turn causes the tension of the seat belt to increase, and the restraint on the vehicle occupant to increase.