Side impact air bag seat-integrated reaction surface panel
First Claim
1. A material cover (27) adapted to cover a vehicle seat (22) having a seat back (26) with a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30), comprising:
- one or more panels for covering the seat back wherein said at least one panel including a side panel (30'"'"') adapted to cover the side surface of the seat, the side panel having a predetermined rate of elongation; and
first means (50,50'"'"') for effectively decreasing the elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to localize stress in the side panel (30'"'"') to encourage the side panel to tear along a generally predetermined line in response to the inflating air bag (46), wherein the first means includes a flexible, multi-sided reinforcement panel (50) secured on an inside of the side panel (30'"'"').
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A material cover (27) for a vehicle seat (22), the seat having a seat back (26) having a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30), the material cover (27) including front (28'"'"'), rear (32'"'"') and side (30'"'"') material panels covering the front, rear and side of the seat back, a reinforcement panel (50,50'"'"') secured to an inside surface (31) of the side material (30'"'"') for effectively decreasing the elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to localize stress in the side material portion (30'"'"') to encourage the side material portion to tear along a line proximate a side (52a) of the reinforcement panel when the panel is forced outwardly by the action of an inflating air bag (46).
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A material cover (27) adapted to cover a vehicle seat (22) having a seat back (26) with a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30), comprising:
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one or more panels for covering the seat back wherein said at least one panel including a side panel (30'"'"') adapted to cover the side surface of the seat, the side panel having a predetermined rate of elongation; and first means (50,50'"'"') for effectively decreasing the elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to localize stress in the side panel (30'"'"') to encourage the side panel to tear along a generally predetermined line in response to the inflating air bag (46), wherein the first means includes a flexible, multi-sided reinforcement panel (50) secured on an inside of the side panel (30'"'"'). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vehicle seat (22) comprising a seat back (26) having a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30);
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a material cover (27) covering the front (28) surface and the surface (32) and side (30) of the seat back, the cover including a side panel (30'"'"') covering the side surface; first means (50,50'"'"') for effectively decreasing an elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to localize stress in the side panel (30'"'"') to encourage the side panel to tear along a generally predetermined line in response to an inflating air bag (46), wherein the first means includes a flexible, multi-sided reinforcement panel (50) secured on an inside of the side panel (30'"'"'); and the air bag located proximate the side surface and inflated by an inflator. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle seat (22) comprising a seat back (26) having a front surface (28), a rear surface (32), and a side surface (30);
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a material cover (27) covers the front surface (28), the rear surface (32), and the side surface (30) of the seat back, wherein the cover includes a side panel (30'"'"'); an air bag and inflator located within the seat back, below the side panel of the material cover; and first means (50,50'"'"') secured to an interior portion of the side panel of the material cover for providing a semi-rigid protection about the air bag and for effectively controlling an elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to encourage the side panel to tear along a generally predetermined line in response to an inflating air bag (46), wherein the first means includes a flexible, multi-sided reinforcement panel (50) secured on an inside of the side panel (30'"'"'). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An improved material cover (27) for a vehicle seat (22) including a seat back (26) having a front (28), a rear (32) and a side (30), comprising:
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a side panel joined to another panel at a tearable seam, the side panel providing a covering for at least a portion of the side of the seat back, the side panel having a predetermined rate of elongation and when stressed by an inflating air bag, said side panel would stretch relative to the seam; and first means (50,50'"'"') secured at a first location proximate the seam to a portion of the side panel and also secured at another location remote from the seam for limiting the extension of the side panel and for localizing any increases in stress resultant upon the inflation of the air bag, at or proximate the seam near the first location to encourage one of the side panel and seam to tear generally along the seam or adjacent thereto in response to an inflating air bag (46).
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21. A vehicle seat (22) comprising a seat back (26) having a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30);
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the material cover (27) covering the front surface (28), the surface rear (32) and the side surface (30) of the seat back, wherein the cover includes a side panel (30) joined to at least a front panel at a tearable sewn seam; first means (50,50'"'"') for effectively decreasing an elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') to localize stress in the side panel (30'"'"') to encourage the side panel to tear proximate the seam along a generally predetermined manner in response to an inflating air bag (46); and the air bag located proximate the side surface and inflated by an inflator.
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22. A vehicle seat (22) comprising a seat back (26) having a front surface (28), a rear surface (32) and a side surface (30);
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a material cover (27) covering the front surface (28), the rear surface (32) and the side surface (30) of the seat back including a side panel (30) joined to another panel at a sewn seam; an air bag located proximate the side surface of the seat back and an inflator for providing gas to inflate the air bag, the air bag and inflator located below the side panel of the material cover within the seat back; and first means (50,50'"'"') secured to an interior portion of the side panel for providing at least a semi-rigid protective hood apart from the air bag, the hood secured proximate to the seam and for limiting the elongation of the side panel (30'"'"') in response to the inflating air bag and for encouraging the side panel to tear proximate to the seam.
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Specification