US 12,233,804 B2
Occupant protection device
Masayuki Yamazaki, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Daicel Corporation, Osaka (JP)
Filed by DAICEL CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/240,369.
Application 18/240,369 is a division of application No. 17/570,755, filed on Jan. 7, 2022, granted, now 11,858,444.
Application 17/570,755 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/025039, filed on Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-130316 (JP), filed on Jul. 12, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0406251 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 21/04 (2006.01); B60R 21/00 (2006.01); B60R 21/06 (2006.01); B60R 21/08 (2006.01); B60R 21/205 (2011.01)
CPC B60R 21/04 (2013.01) [B60R 21/08 (2013.01); B60R 21/205 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0048 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0442 (2013.01); B60R 2021/065 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An occupant protection device that protects an occupant boarding on a vehicle, the occupant protection device comprising:
a base portion fixed to a ceiling portion of the vehicle;
an operation portion connected to the base portion via a hinge and configured to move back and forth between a first position serving as an initial position and a second position used to suppress movement of the occupant when inertial force acts on the occupant, the operation portion configured to align with the ceiling portion at the first position, the operation portion configured to support the occupant at the second position; and
a control unit configured to perform movement control to move the operation portion from the first position to the second position in a case of detecting a signal indicating that the vehicle suddenly decelerates or inertial force acts on the occupant and causes the occupant to move, wherein
the operation portion is movable repeatedly from the first position to the second position through the movement control by returning to the first position after having moved from the first position to the second position, and
a buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position,
wherein the control unit is configured to control adjustment of reaction force associated with the inertial force acting on the occupant by the buffering means, in accordance with a velocity of the vehicle, a weight of the occupant, or a velocity of the occupant toward the operation portion in a case where the inertial force acts.