Passenger-protecting apparatus

• US 20060119149A1
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Hiromichi, Kumagai, Masayoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/292,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

A passenger-protecting apparatus is provided with which poor seat-sitting comfortability is prevented and in which a fixing work, a maintenance work, and the like are performed with good workability. In one form, a seat cushion is supported from below by a supporting member including a seat pan and springs, and the supporting member has a passenger-protecting apparatus disposed under the front part thereof Upon detection of a frontal car collision, an inflator discharges gas, so that the gas from the inflator inflates a bag. The inflated bag pushes the front part of the supporting member upwards. As a result, the front part of the seat cushion has a higher density because of being pushed up or pressed from below via the seat pan and the springs, thereby preventing or inhibiting the waist of a passenger from moving forwards.

Claims

1. In a vehicle seat for a vehicle passenger and having a support member for a seat cushion, a passenger protecting apparatus comprising:

a retainer configured to be mounted below the support member for passenger comfort when seated on the seat cushion; and

an airbag in the retainer for being deployed to push the support member and seat cushion thereon generally upwardly during a vehicle emergency condition.

2. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1 including an inflator in the retainer with the airbag and the inflator sized to provide sufficient upward force on the support member for pushing the support member upwardly.

3. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1 including fixtures for securing the retainer to the vehicle seat below the support member.

4. A vehicle seat airbag system comprising:

a seat frame including a support member for supporting a seat cushion;

an airbag retainer mounted to the seat frame; and

an airbag in the retainer for being inflated to push the support member and seat cushion thereon upwardly during vehicle emergency conditions.

5. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 4 wherein the retainer is mounted below the support member, and the airbag inflates upwardly to push the support member upward for lifting the seat cushion thereon upward.

6. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 4 wherein the support member comprises at least one of a seat pan and seat springs.

7. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 6 wherein the support member comprises both the seat pan and the seat springs, and

a releasable connection between the seat pan and the seat springs so that airbag inflation causes the springs to disengage from the seat pan at the releasable connection for pushing the springs upward.

8. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 4 wherein the support member includes seat springs releasably connected to the seat frame so that airbag inflation causes the springs to detach from the frame for pushing the springs upward.

9. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 8 wherein the seat frame includes opposite sides, and the springs extend between the opposite sides and are releasably connected thereto.

10. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 6 wherein the support member comprises only the seat pan, and the airbag pushes the seat pan upward upon inflation thereof.

11. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 4 wherein the support member has predetermined area that is predisposed to deform more quickly than adjacent areas of the support member upon airbag inflation.

12. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 11 wherein the predetermined area includes at least one slit in the support member extending at least partially about the area.

13. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 11 wherein the predetermined area includes pleat portions of the support member extending at least partially about the area.

14. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 4 wherein the support member includes an opening and a cover portion overlying at least a portion of the opening and releasably connected to the support member so that the airbag is deployed in the opening and airbag inflation pushes the cover portion upward detaching the cover portion from the support member.

15. A vehicle seat airbag system comprising:

a seat frame;

a support assembly of the seat frame for supporting a seat cushion thereon;

an airbag retainer under a forward portion of the support assembly; and

an airbag in the retainer for being inflated to push the forward portion of the support assembly upwardly during vehicle emergency conditions.

16. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 15 wherein the support assembly comprises a seat pan and seat springs, and the inflated airbag pushes at least one of the seat pan and seat springs upward.

17. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 15 wherein the support assembly comprises a seat pan, and the inflated airbag pushes the seat pan upward.

18. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 17 wherein the seat pan has a construction so that the pan is subject to plastic deformation upon being pushed upward by the inflated airbag.

19. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 17 wherein the seat pan has deformation accelerating means for accelerating upward deformation of at least a portion of the pan by the inflated airbag.

20. The vehicle seat airbag system of claim 19 wherein the deformation accelerating comprises one of a slit and a pleat in the seat pan.