Nissan Motor Company Limited

Masashi Makita

Chinmoy Pal

Manabu Sato

Izumi Kobayashi

Yuuichi Oki

A vehicle passenger restraining system comprises a knee bolster, a bolster movement structure, a collision detecting section and a control section. The knee bolster is disposed in a front portion of a seat in a vehicle. The bolster movement structure is coupled to the knee bolster to apply a rearwardly directed pulling force to each transverse end of the knee bolster. The collision detecting section is configured and arranged to detect information relating to a collision of the vehicle and a probability of a collision of the vehicle. The control section is configured to operate the bolster movement structure based on the information from the collision detecting section.

Vehicle passenger restraining system

A vehicle front end structure is configured to handle a front collision by using one or more inflatable bags to bear the collision load and produce a stable reaction force. The front inflatable bag is provided in a region where a colliding object can contact the front end of a vehicle body and configured such that it can deploy and inflate into a wall surface-like shape immediately before a collision. As a result, the collision load of a front collision can be absorbed efficiently. Additionally, since the inflated front inflatable bag serves to bear the collision load as a surface, it can generate a stable reaction force irregardless of the angle at which the collision load is imparted, the size of the colliding object, or size of the overlap ratio.

Vehicle front end structure

A vehicle body end structure has a longitudinal frame member connected to a transverse frame member by curved parts to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes an end (rear or front) collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the interior surfaces of the transverse frame member and the corresponding wall surfaces of the curved parts that face the interior surfaces. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes an end collision, the inward collapsing of the transverse frame member causes the curved parts to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over such that the curved parts touch against the transverse frame member. Deformation control structures are provided on the curved parts to prevent localized stress concentration from occurring and enable the curved parts to deform in a stable manner. Thus, the curved parts are prevented from undergoing acute bending and the input load is absorbed more efficiently.

Vehicle body end structure

A vehicle body front section structure is provided with longitudinal frame members that are connected by curved parts to the back surface of a widthwise frame member to disperse the load when the vehicle undergoes a front collision. In particular, wedge-shaped open spaces exist between the back surface of the widthwise frame member and the wall surface of the curved part of each longitudinal frame member that faces the back surface. Consequently, when the vehicle undergoes a front collision, the rearward collapsing of the widthwise frame member causes the curved part to gradually undergo bending deformation while being folded over in such a manner that the wall surface thereof that faces the back surface touches against the back surface.

Vehicle body front section structure

A reinforcing structure is provided to attain sufficient reinforcing effect for a body frame without increasing a weight of a vehicle. The reinforcing structure includes a front pillar ( ) whose peripheral wall has an outer panel ( ) and a reinforcement ( ) to provide a double wall structure, and an adjusting mechanism ( ) for making a buckling-mode waveform of the outer panel ( ) in a substantially-reversed phase to a buckling-mode waveform of the reinforcement ( ). The adjusting mechanism ( ) includes a plurality of beads ( ) formed on a top wall of the reinforcement ( ). Owing to the deformation of the outer panel ( ) in a substantially-reversed phase to the deformation of the reinforcement ( ), a resistance force due to contact between the outer panel ( ) and the reinforcement ( ) allows a deformation of the front pillar ( ) to be is restricted to enhance reinforcing effect of the reinforcing structure.

Reinforcing waveform structure for body frame of vehicle

An intermediate joint is provided which joints two cylindrical members to form a side member used in a vehicle body. The intermediate joint includes a front and a rear connecting portion and an intermediate coupling portion coupling the front and rear connecting portions. The intermediate coupling portion is so formed physically as to have a degree of rigidity greater than those of the front and rear connecting portions. This improves the strength or rigidity of the intermediate joint without increasing the overall weight of the side member.

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Fujisawa, Japan

Masashi Makita