US 6,604,771 B2 · Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

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.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A vehicle occupant-protecting apparatus comprising:

a seat for supporting at least one occupant;
lower rails fixed to a body of the vehicle;
upper rails connected to the seat of the vehicle and slidably supported on the lower rails;
an acceleration device integrated with the seat, the acceleration device including:
a cylinder;
a piston at least partially disposed within the cylinder;
a first acceleration member disposed within the cylinder and operable to apply a force to the piston to accelerate the seat in a same direction as that in which an impact load is applied to the vehicle body;
and
a second acceleration member disposed within the cylinder and operable to apply a force to the piston to accelerate the seat in an opposite direction to the direction as that in which the impact load is applied to the vehicle body;
and
a seat slide lock device connected to the acceleration device and operable to allow the at least one occupant to adjust and fix a sliding position of the seat.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

Life of this patent

Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11