Seat mounted air bag assembly

• US 5,496,061 A
• Filed: 03/31/1995
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Brown, Louis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/414,941
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/732, 280/728.1, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2074 in head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An air bag module (80) is mounted on a vehicle seatback (22). The module (80) includes an air bag (90) which has a narrow elongate neck portion (200) and a wide body portion (210). The neck portion (200) and the body portion (210) when inflated lie adjacent to the head and neck of an occupant (52) of the seat (12). The body portion (210) of the air bag (90) does not inflate until it has moved past the head and neck of the occupant (52). The body portion (210) of the air bag (90) has a relatively large height as compared to the neck portion (200) when the air bag is inflated. The body portion (210) is engageable by the head and neck of a forward leaning vehicle occupant.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a seat for supporting an occupant of the vehicle in a seated position with the occupant'"'"'s head disposed adjacent to a side structure of the vehicle, said seat including a seat bottom portion and a seatback;

a housing;

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint in said housing for, when inflated, protecting the occupant of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a neck portion and a body portion which lie adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head and neck when inflated for engagement by the occupant'"'"'s head and neck;

an inflator for directing inflation fluid into said inflatable restraint to inflate said inflatable restraint;

means for sensing a side impact to the vehicle of a magnitude sufficient to require protection of the vehicle occupant and for actuating said inflator to inflate said inflatable restraint in response to sensing said side impact to the vehicle; and

support means for supporting said housing on said seatback for inflation of said body portion of said inflatable restraint between the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and the vehicle side structure;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint having an elongate tubular configuration and being connected in fluid communication between said inflator and said body portion of said inflatable restraint;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated extending from said housing and having a longitudinal central axis extending through said neck portion;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively small height as measured in a vertical direction transverse to said axis and said body portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively large height as measured in said vertical direction transverse to said axis.

2. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extends at an angle of about 15°

above the horizontal when said inflatable restraint is inflated and said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical.

3. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extends forward at an angle of about 26°

outward from a front-to-back axis of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is inflated and said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical.

4. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extends forward at an angle of about 26°

outward from a front-to-back axis of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is inflated and said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical.

5. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seatback of said vehicle seat includes a headrest, said housing being supported on said seatback at a location between said headrest and the vehicle side structure.

6. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the height of said body portion of said inflatable restraint is in the range of from about twice the height of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint to about four times the height of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint.

7. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body portion of said inflatable restraint is tuck folded inside said elongate neck portion and said neck portion and said body portion are tuck folded inside said housing.

8. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint is folded into said housing so as to wrap around said folded body portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion of said inflatable restraint being folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion remaining folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion during inflation of said neck portion.

9. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflator is rated at 7-9 kiloPascals per millisecond based upon a one cubic foot enclosed tank, whereby said neck portion of said inflatable restraint inflates at a relatively low speed.

10. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 120 mm when inflated and said body portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 310 mm when inflated.

11. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint has a length of about 230 mm when inflated and said body portion of said inflatable restraint has a length of about 340 mm when inflated.

12. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a seat for supporting an occupant of the vehicle in a seated position with the occupant'"'"'s head disposed adjacent to a side structure of the vehicle, said seat including a seat bottom portion and a seatback which includes a seatback cushion portion and a headrest portion;

a housing having a deployment opening;

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint in said housing for, when inflated, protecting the occupant of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a neck portion and a body portion which lie adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head and neck when inflated for engagement by the occupant'"'"'s head and neck;

an inflator connected in fluid communication with said inflatable restraint for directing inflation fluid into said inflatable restraint to inflate said inflatable restraint through said deployment opening;

means for sensing a side impact to the vehicle of a magnitude sufficient to require protection of the vehicle occupant and for actuating said inflator to inflate said inflatable restraint in response to sensing said side impact to the vehicle; and

support means for supporting said housing on said seatback for inflation of said body portion of said inflatable restraint between the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and the vehicle side structure;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having an elongate tubular configuration and having a longitudinal central axis extending through said neck portion;

said body portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a height as measured in a vertical direction transverse to said axis which is substantially greater than the height of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated;

said body portion of said inflatable restraint being tuck folded inside said tubular neck portion of said inflatable restraint, said neck portion of said inflatable restraint being tuck folded inside said housing.

13. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said body portion of said inflatable restraint includes a series of folded portions which extend between a back wall of said housing and said deployment opening in said housing.

14. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint is folded into an upper portion of the housing so as to wrap around said folded portions of said body portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion of said inflatable restraint being folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion of said inflatable restraint.

15. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said body portion remains folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion during inflation of said neck portion.

16. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said inflator is rated at 7-9 kiloPascals per millisecond based upon a one cubic foot enclosed tank, whereby said neck portion of said inflatable restraint inflates at a relatively low speed.

17. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extends forward at an angle of about 15°

above the horizontal and at an angle of about 26°

outward from a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is inflated when said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical.

18. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the height of said body portion of said inflatable restraint, when inflated, is in the range of from about twice the height of said elongate neck portion of said inflatable restraint to about four times the height of said elongate neck portion of said inflatable restraint.

19. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said elongate neck portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 120 mm and said body portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 310 mm.

20. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint has a length of about 230 mm and said body portion of said inflatable restraint has a length of about 340 mm.

21. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a seat for supporting an occupant of the vehicle in a seated position with the occupant'"'"'s head disposed adjacent to a side structure of the vehicle, said seat including a seat bottom portion and a seatback;

a housing;

an inflatable vehicle occupant;

restraint in said housing for, when inflated, protecting the occupant of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a neck portion and a body portion which lie adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s neck and head when inflated;

an inflator connected in fluid communication with said inflatable restraint for directing inflation fluid into said inflatable restraint to inflate said inflatable restraint;

means for sensing a side impact to the vehicle of a magnitude sufficient to require protection of the vehicle occupant and for actuating said inflator to inflate said inflatable restraint in response to sensing said side impact to the vehicle; and

support means for supporting said housing on said seatback for inflation of said body portion of said inflatable restraint between the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and the vehicle side structure; and

said body portion of said inflatable restraint being tuck folded inside said neck portion, and said neck portion and said body portion together being tuck folded inside said housing, said neck portion inflating prior to inflation of said body portion.

22. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint has an elongate tubular configuration and is connected in fluid communication between said inflator and said body portion of said inflatable restraint;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated extending from said housing and having a longitudinal central axis extending through said neck portion;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively small height as measured in a vertical direction transverse to said axis and said body portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively large height as measured in said vertical direction transverse to said axis.

23. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extends forward at an angle of about 15°

above the horizontal and at an angle of about 26°

outward from a front-to-back axis of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is inflated and said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical.

24. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein the height of said body portion of said inflatable restraint is in the range of from about twice the height of said elongate neck portion of said inflatable restraint to about four times the height of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint.

25. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 120 mm and said body portion of said inflatable restraint has a height of about 310 mm, said neck portion of said inflatable restraint having a length of about 230 mm and said body portion of said inflatable restraint having a length of about 340 mm.

26. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said neck portion of said inflatable restraint is folded into said housing so as to wrap around said folded body portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion of said inflatable restraint being folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion remaining folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion during inflation of said neck portion.

27. A vehicle safety apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said inflator is rated at 7-9 kiloPascals per millisecond based upon a one cubic foot enclosed tank, whereby said neck portion of said inflatable restraint inflates at a relatively low speed.

28. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a seat for supporting an occupant of the vehicle in a seated position with the occupant'"'"'s head disposed adjacent to a side structure of the vehicle, said seat including a seat bottom portion and a seatback;

a housing;

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint in said housing for, when inflated, protecting the occupant of the vehicle, said inflatable restraint having a body portion and a neck portion which lie adjacent to the occupant'"'"'s head and neck when inflated for engagement by the occupant'"'"'s head and neck;

an inflator for directing inflation fluid into said inflatable restraint to inflate said inflatable restraint;

means for sensing a side impact to the vehicle of a magnitude sufficient to require protection of the vehicle occupant and for actuating said inflator to inflate said inflatable restraint in response to sensing said side impact to the vehicle; and

support means for supporting said housing on said seatback for inflation of said body portion of said inflatable restraint between the vehicle occupant'"'"'s head and the vehicle side structure;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint having an elongate tubular configuration and being connected in fluid communication between said inflator and said body portion of said inflatable restraint;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated extending from said housing and having a longitudinal central axis extending through said neck portion;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively small height as measured in a vertical direction transverse to said axis and said body portion of said inflatable restraint when inflated having a relatively large height as measured in said vertical direction transverse to said axis;

said longitudinal central axis of said neck portion of said inflatable restraint extending forward at an angle of about 26°

outward from a front-to-back axis of the vehicle when said inflatable restraint is inflated and said seatback is reclined at an angle of about 25°

from the vertical;

said neck portion of said inflatable restraint being folded into said housing so as to wrap around said body portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion of said inflatable restraint being folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion of said inflatable restraint, said body portion remaining folded in a tight bundle within said folded neck portion during inflation of said neck portion;

said inflator being rated at 7-9 kiloPascals per millisecond based upon a one cubic foot enclosed tank, whereby said neck portion of said inflatable restraint inflates at a relatively low speed.