Automotive seat with air-bag

• US 5,499,840 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 03/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Nakano, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/367,889
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0705 omega-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4249 fixed structures, i.e. where neither the seat nor a part thereof are displaced during a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/688 Particular seat belt attachment and guiding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/00 Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions reinforcement elements for side doors B60J5/0412; mudguards B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

1. A seat is mounted on a vehicle floor adjacent a side door. The seat comprises a seat base mounted on the floor and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat base. The seat back includes a seat back frame of metal, a horizontally extending reinforcing rod of metal secured to the seat back frame in such a manner that opposed ends thereof are projected laterally outwardly from two side portions of the seat back frame thereby to provide outwardly and inwardly projected portions, and a cushion pad covering both the seat back frame and the reinforcing rod so that the seat back has outside and inside lateral projections. The outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod extends toward the side door in closed condition. An air-bag unit is held by the outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod. The air-bag unit includes an air-bag which can be inflated between the seat back and the side door upon a vehicle collision.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle having a body, a floor and a side door pivotally connected to said body,

a seat mounted on said floor adjacent said side door, said seat comprising a seat base mounted on said floor and a seat back pivotally connected to said seat base, said seat back including a seat back frame of metal, a horizontally extending reinforcing rod of metal secured to said seat back frame in such a manner that opposed ends thereof are projected laterally outwardly from two side portions of the seat back frame thereby to provide outwardly and inwardly projected portions, and a cushion pad covering both the seat back frame and said reinforcing rod so that the seat back has outside and inside lateral projections, each having therein the corresponding projected portion of the reinforcing rod, said outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod extending toward said side door in closed condition;

and

an air-bag unit held by said outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod, said air-bag unit including an air-bag which can be inflated between the seat back and the side door upon a vehicle collision.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a collision sensor installed in said side door for sensing a side vehicle collision applied to said side door; and

a control unit for instantly inflating the air-bag of the air-bag unit upon receiving from said side collision sensor a signal representing the side vehicle collision.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 2, in which said outside lateral projection of said seat back is formed at its front side an opening through which said air-bag passes for its full inflation upon the side vehicle collision.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 1, in which said seat back frame is rectangular in shape and in which said reinforcing rod is welded to upper portions of the two side portions of said seat back frame.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 1, in which said seat back is connected to said seat base through a reclining mechanism.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 5, in which said seat is mounted on the vehicle floor through seat sliding units.

7. A combination as claimed in claim 1, further comprising another air-bag unit held by said inwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod, said another air-bag unit including another air-bag which is inflated near said inside lateral projection upon the vehicle collision.

8. A combination as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a first collision sensor installed in said side door for sensing a side vehicle collision applied to said side door;

a second collision sensor installed in said inside lateral projection of the seat back, said second collision sensor being arranged to issue a collision signal slightly after the first collision sensor issues a collision signal; and

a control unit for instantly inflating the air-bags of the two air-bag units upon receiving the collision signals from said first and second collision sensors.

9. In a motor vehicle having a body, a floor and first and second side doors pivotally connected to side walls of the body,

first and second seats which are abreast arranged and mounted on said floor adjacent said first and second side doors respectively, each seat comprising a seat base mounted on said floor and a seat back pivotally connected to said seat base, said seat back including a seat back frame of metal, a horizontally extending reinforcing rod of metal secured to said seat back frame in such a manner that opposed ends thereof are projected laterally outwardly from two side portions of the seat back frame thereby to provide outwardly and inwardly projected portions, and a cushion pad covering both the seat back frame and said reinforcing rod so that the seat back has outside and inside lateral projections, each having therein the corresponding projected portion of the reinforcing rod, said outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod extending toward said side door in closed condition, and said inwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod extending toward the inwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod of the other seat;

a first air-bag unit held by the outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod of the first seat; and

a second air-bag unit held by the outwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod of the second seat,

wherein each of said first and second air-bag units includes an air-bag which can be inflated between the corresponding seat and the corresponding side door upon a vehicle collision.

10. A combination as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a first collision sensor installed in said first side door for sensing a side vehicle collision applied to said first side door;

a second collision sensor installed in said second side door for sensing a side vehicle collision applied to the second side door;

a first control unit for instantly inflating the air-bag of the first air-bag unit upon receiving a collision representing signal from said first collision sensor; and

a second control unit for instantly inflating the air-bag of the second air-bag unit upon receiving a collision representing signal from said second collision sensor.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a third air-bag unit held by the inwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod of the first seat; and

a fourth air-bag unit held by the inwardly projected portion of the reinforcing rod of the second seat,

wherein each of the third and fourth air-bag units includes an air-bag which can be inflated near the inside lateral projection of the seat back of the corresponding seat.

12. A combination as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a third collision sensor installed in the inside lateral projection of the seat back of the first seat; and

a fourth collision sensor installed in the inside lateral projection of the seat back of the second seat, each of the third and fourth collision sensors being arranged to sense a collision between the inside lateral projections of the seat backs of the first and second seats,

wherein said first control unit instantly inflating the air-bag of the third air-air bag unit upon receiving a collision representing signal from said third collision sensor, and

wherein said second control unit instantly inflating the air-bag of the fourth air-bag unit upon receiving a collision representing signal from said fourth collision sensor.

13. A combination as claimed in claim 12, in which each of said third and fourth collision sensors is arranged to issue a collision representing signal slightly after the corresponding one of the first and second collision sensors issues a collision representing signal.