Nhk Spring Co., Ltd.

Nissan Motor Company Limited

Mazda Motor Corporation

Minoru Takakura

Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi

Eiji Shimizu

Arihiro Furumoto

Kou Masuda

Tomoharu Ohi

Toshihiro Yoshitake

Shinji Uehara

Yorimitsu Hirata

Takashi Ebisugi

Mitsuru Wakiie

The actuator mechanism of the present embodiment comprises the first cylinder, a rod protruding from the first cylinder to lift a hood and lock balls arranged along the outer periphery of the rod and digging into the rod when the rod is pushed back. The diameter of the lock balls and the lapping amount of the lock balls are within specific ranges.

Actuator mechanism for lifting a hood of a motor vehicle

A vehicle safety device () includes an actuator () which thrusts a hood () upward from underside at a point close to a rear end of the hood () to raise the same by a specific amount when an obstacle is detected, and a mechanical connector () which connects the rear end of the hood () to the vehicle body (), the mechanical connector () being structured such that, when the actuator () raises the rear end of the hood (), the mechanical connector () extends while swinging about a pivot (P) by which the mechanical connector () is joined to the vehicle body (). The mechanical connector () includes a rod (), and a locking part () having a through hole () in which the rod () is inserted. The locking part () engages with the rod () in such a manner that the rod () can move in only one direction in which the rod () is extracted from the locking part (), and the rod () is disengaged from the locking part () when turned about a longitudinal axis.

Vehicle safety device

An actuator includes a hollow cylinder which has a first portion and a second portion. The inner diameter of the first portion is larger than that of the second portion. A piston is inserted in the cylinder. The actuator has a gas generator which supplies a gas into the cylinder to move the piston toward the first portion. The seal member keeps airtightness between the piston and the cylinder when the piston stays in the second portion and flows the gas when the piston stays in the first portion. A hollow stopper is arranged in the first portion and stops the piston. The stopper has a vent groove which is provided on the inner surface and connects the interior of the cylinder to the open end. A piston rod is jointed to the piston and housed in the cylinder. The piston rod moves along the axis with the piston.

Actuator

Provided is a vehicle seat assembly which can prevent a submarine phenomenon in a reliable manner, and which is simple in structure so as to allow a high level of flexibility in layout. A slip preventing member for preventing the vehicle occupant from slipping forward under the seat belt in case of an impact is supported by a fixed part of a seat so as to be pivotable between a retracted position and a raised position, and an actuator is interposed between a fixed part of said seat and a part of said slip preventing member. To retain the slip preventing member at its raised position even after the power of the power unit is all used up, the assembly further includes a lock mechanism for retaining said slip preventing member at said raised position.

Vehicle seat assembly

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Minoru Takakura