Side airbag intensifier pocket

• US 20080054604A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hirata, Kazuya, Elliott-Rumberger, Kristi, Castro, Tiago, Panek, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,677,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

An apparatus for assisting and guiding deployment of a side airbag through a deployment seam of a seat cover for a vehicle seat having a seat frame includes an airbag assembly connectable to a support portion of the seat back frame, an intensifier pocket having an inboard and outboard panel, and an elongate support rod releasably connectable to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat for closing and anchoring an opening in the pocket. Each panel has a first peripheral portion connected to opposite edges of the deployment seam in the seat cover to be forced open during inflation of the side airbag, second peripheral portions extending inwardly toward the seat back frame where the inboard and outboard panels are connected to one another, and third peripheral portions defining an opening in the pocket of sufficient size to allow the pocket to be positioned over the airbag assembly and support portion of the seat back frame. The support rod can be engaged through at least one sleeve formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel for closing and anchoring the opening in the pocket.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting and guiding deployment of a side airbag through a deployment seam of a seat cover for a vehicle seat having a seat back frame comprising:

an airbag assembly connectable to a support portion of a seat back frame and including a side airbag and an inflator, the side airbag operably connected to the inflator for inflation through a deployment seam in a seat cover to be installed on the vehicle seat to at least partially enclose the seat back frame;

an intensifier pocket having an inboard panel and an outboard panel, the inboard panel extending between an interior surface of padding for the vehicle seat and the airbag assembly, each panel having a first peripheral portion connected to opposite edges of the deployment seam in the seat cover to be forced open during inflation of the side airbag, each panel having at least one second peripheral portion extending inwardly toward the seat back frame within the vehicle seat from the deployment seam, the inboard and outboard panels connected to one another along the second peripheral portion, and each panel having a third peripheral portion spaced from the first peripheral portion by the second peripheral portion, the third peripheral portion defining an opening in the pocket of sufficient size to allow the pocket to be positioned over the airbag assembly and support portion of the seat back frame, each panel having at least one sleeve formed along the third peripheral portion; and

an elongate support rod releasably connectable to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat, the support rod engageable through the at least one sleeve formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel for closing and anchoring the opening in the pocket along the third peripheral portion of each panel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sleeve is defined by a single loop of material formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel for sheathingly engaging longitudinally spaced portions of the support rod.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support rod extends through coaxially aligned single loops of material formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support rod is connectable to the seat back frame separate from the airbag assembly through an open rear portion of the seat cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support rod is bolted to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat at spaced positions located separate from the support portion of the seat back frame connecting the airbag assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deployment seam in the seat cover is sewn together with two separate threads connecting the inboard and outboard panels to separate edges of the deployment seam of the seat cover, and another thread connecting the opposite edges of the deployment seam to one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deployment seam in the seat cover and the first peripheral portions of the inboard and outboard panels of the intensifier pocket are sewn together with a single common thread.

8. A method for assembling a side airbag to a seat back frame in a vehicle seat for inflation through a deployment seam of a seat cover comprising:

connecting an airbag assembly to a support portion of a seat back frame, the airbag assembly including a side airbag and an inflator, the side airbag operably connected to the inflator for inflation through a deployment seam in a seat cover to be installed on the vehicle seat to at least partially enclose the seat back frame;

installing the seat cover over the seat back frame and connected airbag assembly;

positioning an intensifier pocket over the airbag assembly and support portion of the seat back frame, the intensifier pocket having an inboard panel and an outboard panel the inboard panel extending between an inner surface of padding for the vehicle seat and the airbag assembly, each panel having a first peripheral portion connected to opposite edges of the deployment seam in the seat cover to be forced open during inflation of the side airbag, each panel having at least one second peripheral portion extending inwardly toward the seat back frame within the vehicle seat from the deployment seam, the inboard and outboard panels connected to one another along the second peripheral portion, and each panel having a third peripheral portion spaced from the first peripheral portion by the second peripheral portion, the third peripheral portion defining an opening in the pocket of sufficient size to allow the pocket to be positioned over the airbag assembly and support portion of the seat back frame, each panel having at least one sleeve formed along the third peripheral portion; and

releasably connecting an elongate support rod to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat, after engaging the support rod through the at least one sleeve formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel for closing and anchoring the opening in the pocket along the third peripheral portion of each panel.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sheathingly engaging longitudinally spaced portions of the support rod with the at least one sleeve defined by a single loop of material formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel of the intensifier pocket.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sheathingly engaging step further comprises:

extending the support rod through coaxially aligned single loops of material formed along the third peripheral portion of each panel.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the releasably connecting step further comprises:

accessing the support portion of the seat back frame through an open rear portion of the seat cover for connecting the support rod to the seat back frame separate from the airbag assembly installed prior to installing the seat cover.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the releasably connecting step further comprises:

bolting the support rod to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat at spaced positions separate from the support portion of the seat back frame connecting the airbag assembly.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sewing the deployment seam in the seat cover together with two separate threads connecting the inboard and outboard panels to separate edges of the deployment seam of the seat cover, and another thread connecting the opposite edges of the deployment seam to one another.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

sewing the deployment seam in the seat cover and the first peripheral portions of the inboard and outboard panels of the intensifier pocket together with a single common thread.

15. A method of assembling an airbag in a vehicle seat comprising:

connecting an airbag assembly to a support portion of a seat back frame of a vehicle seat;

attaching an outer end of an intensifier pocket to opposite sides of a deployment seam in a seat cover;

installing the seat cover over the seat back frame;

routing the intensifier pocket between an inner surface of padding for the vehicle seat and the airbag assembly; and

after installing the seat cover on the seat back frame, releasably connecting an elongate support rod to the seat back frame, after engaging the support rod with an inner open end of the intensifier pocket for closing and anchoring the inner open end of the intensifier pocket with the airbag assembly and support portion of the seat back frame located within an interior of the intensifier pocket.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sheathingly engaging longitudinally spaced portions of the support rod with a single loop of material formed along the inner open end of the intensifier pocket.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sheathingly engaging step further comprises:

extending the support rod through coaxially aligned single loops of material formed along opposite sides of an opening defined by the inner open end of the pocket.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the releasably connecting step further comprises:

accessing the support portion of the seat back frame through an open rear portion of the seat cover for connecting the support rod to the seat back frame separate from the airbag assembly installed prior to installing the seat cover.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the releasably connecting step further comprises:

bolting the support rod to the seat back frame of the vehicle seat at spaced positions separate from the support portion of the seat back frame connecting the airbag assembly.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sewing the deployment seam in the seat cover together with two separate threads connecting opposite portions of the outer end of the pocket to separate edges of the deployment seam of the seat cover, and another thread connecting the opposite edges of the deployment seam to one another.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sewing the deployment seam in the seat cover and the opposite portions of the outer end of the intensifier pocket together with a single common thread.