# US 10,864,878 B2 · Passenger protection apparatus for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,878 B2 - Document ID: US10864878B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/239,890 - Filed: 2019-01-04 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-30 - Assignees: Subaru Corporation - Applicants: Subaru Corporation - Inventors: Isamu Nagasawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864878B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/207: in vehicle seats - B60R 21/23138: {specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence)} - B60R 21/0132: responsive to vehicle motion parameters {, e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value} - B60R 21/2338: Tethers - B60R 21/0134: responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle {, e.g. using radar systems} - B60R 21/0136: 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)} - B60R 2021/0044: {Chest} - B60R 2021/01211: {Expansion of air bags} - B60R 2021/161: {characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory} - B60R 2021/23146: {seat mounted} - B60R 2021/23386: {External tether means} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A passenger protection apparatus for vehicle includes an airbag and a regulating member. The airbag is capable of deploying forward or upward from a side of a seat on which a passenger sits. The regulating member is capable of regulating deployment of the airbag. The regulating member connects a side of a seat back to a side of a lower part of the seat, and is configured to contact an outside of the airbag in a seat width direction to regulate a deployment direction of the airbag to deploy the airbag inward in the seat width direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a regulating member configured to connect a first part of a side of a seat back included in an upper part of a seat of the vehicle to a second part of a side of a seat cushion included in a lower part of the seat; and an airbag disposed at a side of the seat between the first part and the second part, and configured to be deployed forward in the front-rear direction of the seat and outward in a seat width direction, wherein an outside part, in the seat width direction, of the deployed air bag is configured to contact an inside part, in the seat width direction, of the regulating member, and a front portion of the deployed air bag is configured to turn to a front of the seat inward in the seat width direction by tension of the regulating member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is deployed via a surface of the seat or deployed from a periphery member of the seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: the airbag is deployed via the surface of the seat; the airbag protrudes from the seat back at a position outside an upper body of the passenger in the seat width direction, toward a front of the seat; and the airbag contacts the regulating member from behind to turn the front portion of the airbag inward in the seat width direction, and therefore deploys in front of the upper body of the passenger. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the regulating member, wherein: the regulating member is embedded in the side of the seat before the deployment of the airbag; and as the airbag is deployed, the adjuster reduces the length of the regulating member to minimize a distance between the side of the seat back and the side of the lower part of the seat which are connected via the regulating member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: the airbag is deployed via the surface of the seat; the airbag protrudes upward from the seat cushion at a position outside a lower body of the passenger in the seat width direction; and the airbag contacts the regulating member from underneath to turn the front portion of the airbag inward in the seat width direction, and therefore deploys above the lower body of the passenger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the regulating member, wherein: the regulating member is embedded in the side of the seat before the deployment of the airbag; and as the airbag is deployed, the adjuster reduces the length of the regulating member to minimize a distance between the side of the seat back and the side of the lower part of the seat which are connected via the regulating member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the regulating member, wherein: the regulating member is embedded in the side of the seat before the deployment of the airbag; and as the airbag is deployed, the adjuster reduces the length of the regulating member to minimize a distance between the side of the seat back and the side of the lower part of the seat which are connected via the regulating member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the regulating member is a tether or a planar member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the regulating member, wherein: the regulating member is embedded in the side of the seat before the deployment of the airbag; and as the airbag is deployed, the adjuster reduces the length of the regulating member to minimize a distance between the side of the seat back and the side of the lower part of the seat which are connected via the regulating member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is a tether or a planar member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member contacts an area between an outer end and a center of the airbag in the seat width direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a detector and a controller, wherein the detector is configured to detect for different types of anticipated collisions, inclusive of a frontal impact collision and a side impact collision, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the time and force in which the regulating member contacts the airbag based on which of the anticipated collisions the detector detects. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller that is configured to increase tension on the regulating member to a predetermined value to push the airbag inward in the seat width direction, when the controller detects that the airbag is filled with a predetermined amount of gas. ### Claim 14 A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an airbag capable of deploying forward or upward from a side of a seat on which a passenger sits; a regulating member capable of regulating deployment of the airbag, the regulating member connecting a side of a seat back of the seat and a side of a lower part of the seat, and the regulating member being configured to contact an outside of the airbag in a seat width direction to regulate a deployment direction of the airbag to deploy the airbag inward in the seat width direction, and wherein the regulating member contacts an area between an outer end and a center of the airbag in the seat width direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising: an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the regulating member, wherein: the regulating member is embedded in the side of the seat before the deployment of the airbag; and, as the airbag is deployed, the adjuster reduces the length of the regulating member to minimize a regulating member distance of extension between the side of the seat back and the side of the lower part of the seat which are connected via the regulating member; and wherein the adjuster is configured as to reduce the length at a greater rate under an anticipated frontal impact as compared to a lower rate of length reduction under an anticipated side impact. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 15 further comprising a detector and a controller, wherein the detector is configured to detect for different types of anticipated collisions, inclusive of a frontal impact collision and a side impact collision, and wherein the controller is configured to signal the adjuster as to which different rate of length reduction to implement based on the detected anticipated collision type. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to increase tension on the regulating member to a predetermined value to push the airbag inward in the seat width direction, when the controller detects that the airbag is filled with a predetermined amount of gas. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising: a controller that is configured to increase tension on the regulating member to a predetermined value to push the airbag inward in the seat width direction, when the controller detects that the airbag is filled with a predetermined amount of gas. ### Claim 19 A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a tether configured to connect a first part of a side of a seat back included in an upper part of a seat of the vehicle to a reel disposed in a second part of a side of a seat cushion included in a lower part of the seat, the reel being configured for reel up of the tether; and an airbag disposed in a side of the seat between the first part and the second part, and configured to be deployed forward in the front-rear direction of the seat and outward in a seat width direction, wherein an outside part, in a seat width direction, of the deployed air bag is configured to contact an inside part, in the seat width direction, of the tether, and a front portion of the deployed airbag is configured to turn to a front of the seat inward in the seat width direction by tension of the tether. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising: a controller configured to increase, by reel-up of the reel, tension on the tether to a predetermined value to push the airbag inward in the seat width direction, when the controller detects that the airbag is filled with a predetermined amount of gas.