An airbag apparatus includes an airbag bag body that is inflated and expanded by a gas which is generated from an inflator. The airbag bag body includes an inner bag and an outer bag. The inner bag is inflated and expanded by the gas which is supplied from the inflator. The outer bag covers the inner bag and communicates with the inner bag via a communication hole. The outer bag has a depression part on a lower part of the outer bag in a state of being supplied with the gas through the communication hole from the inner bag and being inflated and expanded.

A method for determining an occupant class for a vehicle seat includes obtaining, via first and second seat weight sensors, first and second seat weight indications for the vehicle seat. The first seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a front location on the vehicle seat. The second seat weight sensor is located on the lateral side of the vehicle seat at a rear location on the vehicle seat. The method also includes obtaining a vehicle acceleration value from a vehicle acceleration sensor. The method also includes determining a raw weight on the vehicle seat as twice the sum of the first and second seat weight indications, and determining a filtered weight based on the raw weight. The method further includes determining the occupant class based on the filtered weight in response to the vehicle acceleration value being less than a predetermined value.

A physique estimation device determines a seat on which an occupant is seated on the basis of face information of the occupant detected from an image capturing a vehicle compartment, calculates the occupant's sitting height using a difference between a reference position and a face position for the determined seat, and estimates the occupant's physique on the basis of the occupant's sitting height.

A child safety seat accident detection system that has a device such as an accelerometer for determining an acceleration of the seat, and a processor, operably connected to the device for determining an acceleration of the seat, and that is configured to judge, based at least on the determined acceleration, if the seat has been in a motor vehicle accident.

The present invention discloses a lateral shock absorber disposed on a base of a child car safety seat. The lateral shock absorber includes a protective fender. An end of the protective fender is pivoted to the base, so that the protective fender is pivotally switchable between a folded state and an unfolded state relative to the base. The unfolded protective fender can collide with a car body during a side impact collision for transferring a side impact to the base and away from a child sitting in the child car safety seat. Therefore, it can effectively reduce a risk of injury or death of the child due to the side impact and provide enhanced protection for the child. Furthermore, the lateral shock absorber has advantages of simple structure and easy operation. Besides, the present invention further discloses a child car safety seat with the aforementioned lateral shock absorber.

A method and system for determining a size and pose of an occupant (305, 310, 315) within a vehicle interior. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving one or more images (FIG. 3) of a vehicle interior from a camera (114). The method also includes classifying interior regions (130, 132, 134, 136, 138) of the vehicle interior (100) in the one or more images. The method also includes identifying an occupant (305, 310, 315) in the one or more images based on the classification of the interior regions (130, 132, 134, 136, 138) of the vehicle interior (100). The method also includes determining a size range of the occupant (305, 310, 315) based on the classification (404) of the interior regions of the vehicle interior (100). The method also includes determining a pose of the occupant (305, 310, 315) based on the classification (404) of the interior regions of the vehicle interior (100). The method also includes controlling one or more vehicle systems (122, 124, 126, 128) based on the size and the pose of the occupant (305, 310, 315).

A vehicle includes one or more sensors and engages at least one of the one or more sensors to evaluate at least one of a count or location of vehicle occupants prior to an incident. The vehicle determines that an incident has occurred and that at least one of an evaluated count or location of at least one vehicle occupant has changed following the incident. Also, the vehicle engages at least one of the one or more sensors to detect a presence of a prior occupant outside the vehicle following the incident, responsive to determining that the at least one of the evaluated count or location of the at least one vehicle occupant changed and, responsive to detecting the presence of the prior occupant outside the vehicle following the incident, reports the presence to a 3.sup.rd party response entity.

A vehicle airbag device includes: an inflator configured to generate gas when a first squib and a second squib are fired, respectively; an airbag including a main bag portion configured to inflate and deploy between an occupant seated in a passenger seat and an instrument panel and between the occupant and a windshield when the gas generated by the inflator is supplied into the airbag, and a center bag portion configured to project between the passenger seat and a driver seat from the main bag portion; and a controlling portion configured to control the inflator such that, when a head-on collision occurs, the second squib is fired after the first squib is fired, and when an oblique collision occurs, the second squib is fired after the first squib is fired and at a timing earlier than that when the head-on collision occurs.

An occupant restraint system for a wheelchair user in a vehicle that includes a pivot brace connected to the vehicle structure, a restraint hoop pivotally connected to the pivot brace and adapted to pivot between a stowed position above a wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle and a deployed position that is forward of a wheelchair/occupant when positioned in the wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle, and an occupant restraint belt connected to the restraint hoop.

A door service hole cover includes a cover component that is configured to cover a service hole, and a shock absorption component that is integral to the cover component. The shock absorption component includes a cabin inner component, at least a portion of which projects from the cover component toward the inside of the cabin and which is hollow and open toward the outside of the cabin; and a fragile portion formed on a side surface of the cabin inner component and configured to allow the cabin inner component to crush and deform upon application of a force acting in the direction of projection of the cabin inner component. Upon application of a force acting in the direction of projection, the cabin inner component crushes inwardly and deforms while being twisted.