Seat mounted airbag with deployment force concentrator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle seat comprising:
- a frame member;
an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member;
a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and
a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag and frame member the first and second panels having a longitudinal dimension, measured perpendicular to the circumference of the sleeve, that is constant over a first portion of the sleeve circumference adjacent the tear line and a step down to a smaller longitudinal dimension over a second portion of the sleeve adjacent the distal ends of the first and second panels.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle seat having an inflatable airbag therein which deploys through a tear line such as a seam in the seat trim cover. A force concentrator is provided to ensure deployment of the airbag through the intended location rather than rupturing the trim cover elsewhere. The force concentrator includes two panels of a flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing. The panels are attached to the trim cover at the tear line and extend away from the tear line in opposite directions. Distal ends of the panels are joined to one another forming a sleeve that circumscribes the airbag.
129 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag and frame member the first and second panels having a longitudinal dimension, measured perpendicular to the circumference of the sleeve, that is constant over a first portion of the sleeve circumference adjacent the tear line and a step down to a smaller longitudinal dimension over a second portion of the sleeve adjacent the distal ends of the first and second panels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag; and the first and second panels have a longitudinal dimension, measured perpendicular to the circumference of the sleeve, that is constant over a first portion of the sleeve circumference adjacent the tear line and a step down to a smaller longitudinal dimension over a second portion of the sleeve adjacent the distal ends of the first and second panels. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag; and a pad, the pad having a slot therethrough which the sleeve passes through whereby a portion of the pad is circumscribed by the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and concentrator means joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator means including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag, the first and second panels having a longitudinal dimension, measured perpendicular to the circumference of the sleeve, that has a first value measured at the tear line and a second value measured at the distal ends of the panels which is smaller than the first value.
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25. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag and frame member; and a pad, the pad having a slot therethrough which the sleeve passes through whereby a portion of the pad is circumscribed by the sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag and frame member; and complementary hook fastener strips coupled to the distal ends of the first and second panels for attaching the distal ends of the first and second panels to one another. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; concentrator means joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator means including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag; and first and second complementary fastener elements coupled to the distal ends of the first and second panels respectively for attachment to one another whereby the distal ends of the first and second panels are attached to one another.
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36. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; and a concentrator joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag; and complementary hook fastener strips coupled to the distal ends of the first and second panels for attaching the distal ends of the first and second panels to one another. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A vehicle seat comprising:
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a frame member; an inflatable airbag mounted to the frame member; a trim cover substantially covering the frame member and airbag, the trim cover having a tear line therein coordinated with the airbag for the airbag to deploy through the trim cover by rupturing at the tear line upon inflation of the airbag; concentrator means joined to the trim cover adjacent the tear line for concentrating the force of the inflating airbag upon the tear line to rupture the trim cover thereby enabling the airbag to deploy through the trim cover, the concentrator means including a first panel and a second panel of flexible and substantially non-stretchable material having a tensile strength sufficient to withstand the force of the inflating airbag without tearing, the first and second panels having proximal ends joined to the trim cover on opposite sides of the tear line and extending in opposite directions therefrom beneath the trim cover to distal ends of the panels, the first and second panels being joined to one another at the distal ends thereof to form a sleeve circumscribing the airbag; and first and second complementary zipper elements coupled to the distal ends of the first and second panels respectively for attachment to one another whereby the distal ends of the first and second panels are attached to one another.
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Specification