Motor vehicle occupant protection

1. A vehicle ( 11 , 111 ) having:

a body ( 12 , 112 ) defining a passenger compartment ( 13 , 113 ), the body including a side panel assembly ( 15 , 115 ) comprising an outer panel ( 18 , 118 ), an inner panel ( 19 , 119 ) connected to the outer panel, a trim panel ( 22 , 122 ) mounted on the inner panel and a pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 225 ) having an outer end face ( 26 A, 126 A) positioned immediately adjacent the outer panel and an inner end face ( 27 A, 127 A) positioned immediately adjacent the trim panel, the trim panel, at least in the region of the pusher block arrangement, being movable in a direction away from the inner panel;

a seat ( 16 , 116 ) mounted within the passenger compartment ( 13 , 113 ) in close proximity to the side panel assembly ( 15 , 115 ), the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ) being aligned with the pelvic region of an occupant ( 31 , 131 ) of the seat and arranged to be displaced towards the occupant when the outer panel ( 18 , 118 ) is deformed due to an impact upon the side panel assembly; and

an airbag ( 35 , 135 ) which, when inflated in the event of an impact upon the side panel assembly ( 15 , 115 ), expands into a volume between the trim panel ( 22 , 122 ) and the pelvic region of the occupant ( 31 , 131 ) so as to transfer load between the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ) and the pelvic region of the occupant.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ) comprises an outer block arrangement ( 26 , 126 ) and an inner block arrangement ( 27 , 127 ) arranged in tandem.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 in which the inner panel ( 19 , 119 ) has an aperture ( 32 , 132 ) and the inner block arrangement includes a pusher block ( 27 , 127 ) which extends through the aperture.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 in which the inner panel ( 19 , 119 ), at least in the region of the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ), is arranged to be movable towards the occupant ( 31 , 131 ) when impacted by the outer block arrangement ( 26 , 126 ).

5. A vehicle as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 in which the side panel assembly ( 15 , 115 ) comprises a drop-down window glass ( 33 , 133 ) and there is a gap between the outer block arrangement ( 26 , 126 ) and the inner block arrangement ( 27 , 127 ) to allow the window glass to drop down into the gap.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the pusher block arrangement ( 25 ) comprises an energy absorbing member ( 26 ).

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6 in which the energy absorbing member ( 26 , 126 ; 27 , 127 ) is made from a foam material.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the airbag ( 35 , 135 ) is attached to part of the seat ( 16 , 116 ).

9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8 in which the seat ( 16 ) includes a housing ( 36 ) for the airbag.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a second airbag ( 41 , 141 ) positioned to expand into a volume between the thorax region of the occupant ( 31 ) and the side panel assembly ( 15 ).

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a side door ( 14 , 114 ) and in which the side panel assembly ( 15 , 115 ) is part of the side door.

12. An occupant protection system for a vehicle having a seat, a trim panel and a side panel assembly, wherein the side panel assembly includes an outer panel being connected to an inner panel, the system comprising:

a pusher block arrangement having an outer end face and an inner end face, the outer end face being positionable immediately adjacent to the outer panel and the inner end face being positionable immediately adjacent the trim panel, the trim panel, at least in the region of the pusher block arrangement, being movable in a direction away from the inner panel;

wherein the pusher block arrangement is aligned with a pelvic region of an occupant within the seat and arranged to be displaced towards the occupant when the outer panel is deformed due to an impact upon the side panel assembly; and

an airbag that is expandable into a volume between the trim panel and the pelvic region so as to transfer a load between the pusher block arrangement and the pelvic region.

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 12 in which the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ) comprises an outer block arrangement ( 26 , 126 ) and an inner block arrangement ( 27 , 127 ) arranged in tandem.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13 in which the inner panel ( 19 , 119 ) has an aperture ( 32 , 132 ) and the inner block arrangement includes a pusher block ( 27 , 127 ) which extends through the aperture.

15. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13 in which the inner panel ( 19 , 119 ), at least in the region of the pusher block arrangement ( 25 , 125 ), is arranged to be movable towards the occupant ( 31 , 131 ) when impacted by the outer block arrangement ( 26 , 126 ).

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the pusher block arrangement ( 25 ) comprises an energy absorbing member ( 26 ).

17. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2 in which the inner block arrangement comprises:

an at least one inner block interposed between the inner panel and the trim panel; and

an at least one intermediate block disposed adjacent the inner panel opposite the at least one inner block.

18. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13 in which the inner block arrangement comprises:

an at least one inner block interposed between the inner panel and the trim panel; and

an at least one intermediate block disposed adjacent the inner panel opposite the at least one inner block.