Side air bag device, occupant protection device and occupant protection method

1. A side air bag device that expands a side air bag member and a head protective air bag member between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by a side impact on the vehicle side wall,

wherein the side air bag member includes a bent portion that is bent in a self-induced manner for expanding the side air bag member in such a manner that an upper portion of the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle directs toward a compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle as to suppress interference with the head protective air bag member during widthwise direction expansion of the upper portion of said side air bag member,

and wherein the upper portion is designed for passenger shoulder or below shoulder protection.

2. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the bent portion includes a non-expanded portion that is formed by bringing a part of an interior panel of the side air bag member located near the compartment in the widthwise direction and a part of an exterior panel of the side air bag member located near the outside of the vehicle into intimate contact with each other so as not to expand during the expansion of the side air bag member, and a regulating member that is arranged on the interior panel for regulating the side air bag member to expand in such a manner that the upper portion of the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle directs toward the compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle from the non-expanded portion.

3. The side air bag device of claim 2 wherein the regulating member is secured to the interior panel at an intermediate region of the upper portion of the side air bag member.

4. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the bent portion is formed of a knob portion that is formed by pinching the interior panel of the side air bag member located near the compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.

5. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the side air bag member includes an interior panel and an exterior panel relative to the widthwise direction of the vehicle, and wherein the bent portion is formed by providing a regulating member on the interior panel of the side air bag member located near the compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.

6. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the bent portion is configured by forming a recessed portion having a shape of an umbrella on an interior panel of the side air bag member located near the compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.

7. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the side air bag member includes an interior panel and an exterior panel relative to the widthwise direction of the vehicle, and wherein the bent portion is configured to include a folded portion on the exterior panel having an area larger than that of the interior panel.

8. The side air bag device according to claim 1 , wherein the side air bag member includes a vent hole that is open toward the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle during the expansion.

9. The side air bag device according to claim 8 , wherein the vent hole is formed at the front part in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the bent portion of the side air bag member.

10. The side air bag device according to claim 9 , wherein the vent hole is formed on a front end of the side air bag member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

11. The side air bag device according to claim 8 , wherein the vent hole is formed on a front end of the side air bag member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

12. The side air bag device of claim 1 wherein an upper, interior most portion of the side air bag member is designed for chest protection.

13. The side air bag device of claim 1 wherein the bent portion is positioned below a belt line of the vehicle.

14. The side air bag device of claim 1 wherein the side air bag member is free of a head protective portion and the head protective air bag member is configured to expand below a belt line of the vehicle.

15. The side air bag device of claim 1 wherein said side air bag member is formed of an interior side panel and an exterior side panel which are configured to be interchangeable.

16. A side air bag device that expands a side air bag member between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by a side impact on the vehicle side wall,

wherein the side air bag member includes a bent portion that can expand the side air bag member in such a manner that an upper portion of the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle directs toward a compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle, wherein the upper portion is designed for passenger shoulder or below shoulder protection, and wherein the bent portion includes a first shift portion that is arranged on the interior panel of the side air bag member located near the compartment in the widthwise direction of the vehicle, and that is formed by shifting the interior panel downward in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and a second shift portion arranged on the exterior panel of the side air bag member located near the outside of the vehicle in the widthwise direction, and that is formed by shifting the exterior panel upward in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

17. An occupant protection device that allows a side air bag member and a head protective air bag member to expand between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by a side impact on the vehicle side wall,

wherein the side air bag member, which is free of a head protective portion, includes a bent portion that is bent in a self-induced manner for expanding the side air bag member in such a manner that an upper portion of the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle suppresses interference with the head protective air bag member during expansion of the head protective air bag member vertically below the upper portion of the side air bag member.

18. The occupant protection device of claim 17 wherein an upper, interior most portion of the side air bag member, relative to the widthwise direction of the vehicle, is configured to contact a shoulder or chest portion of the passenger.

19. An occupant protection method that comprises deploying a side air bag member and a head protective air bag member to expand between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by a side impact on the vehicle side wall,

wherein the side air bag member, which is free of a head protective portion, includes a bent portion that, during the deployment, is bent in a self-induced manner for expanding the side air bag member such that an upper portion of the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle suppresses interference with the head protective air bag member during expansion of the head protective air bag member vertically below the upper portion of the side air bag member.

20. The occupant protection method of claim 19 wherein the expansion of the side air bag member and head protective bag member is carried out such that an upper, interior most portion of the side air bag member, relative to the widthwise direction of the vehicle, is configured to contact a shoulder or chest portion of the passenger.