Vehicle seat with gas bag located in the back rest

• US 6,030,036 A
• Filed: 01/23/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Fohl, Artur
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US08/786,880
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 297/216.14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2173 the module or part thereof being movably mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

A vehicle seat with a back rest comprises a gas bag, which is located in the back rest in a folded state, and a gas source to inflate the gas bag. It further comprises an accomodation at the upper side of the back rest and a supporting casing, which is inserted in the accomodation.

To provide a vehicle seat with a restraint system, which largely prevents relative movements between the head of the vehicle occupant and his upper body in the event of a rear end impact, the gas bag emerges on activation of the gas source at about the height of the head of the vehicle occupant, with the supporting force being provided by the supporting casing.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat with a back rest comprising:

a gas bag located in said back rest in a folded configuration;

a gas source to inflate said gas bag;

an accommodation located at a top portion of said back rest;

a supporting casing inserted in said accommodation, said supporting casing being mounted in said back rest for vertical sliding movement, said supporting casing further having an adjustable limit stop to limit the vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing and a return stop to secure said supporting casing in a projecting position; and

upon activation of said gas source, said gas bag emerges at about a height of the head of a vehicle occupant and in a direction of the head of the vehicle occupant, said supporting casing providing a supporting force for said gas bag.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein the vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing is dependent on the height of said vehicle occupant.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein a drive energy used for the vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing is derived from an energy of said gas source.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said limit stop is automatically adjusted according to the height of said vehicle occupant.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 further comprising a rotatable threaded spindle to adjust a height of said limit stop.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said supporting casing is arranged essentially below an upper edge of said back rest in a normal resting position.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 further comprising a releasable holding means to hold said supporting casing in a normal resting position.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 wherein said gas source is located below said supporting casing in said back rest.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 8 further comprising a flexible connecting element to connect said supporting casing to said gas source.

10. A vehicle seat with a back rest comprising:

a gas bag located in said back rest in a folded configuration;

a gas source to inflate said gas bag;

an accommodation located at a top portion of said back rest;

a supporting casing inserted in said

accommodation, said supporting casing being mounted in said back rest for vertical sliding movement, an amount of said vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing being dependent upon the height of said vehicle occupant, and a drive energy used for said vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing being derived from an energy of said gas source,

said supporting casing further having an adjustable limit stop to limit said vertical sliding movement of said supporting casing, the limit stop being automatically adjusted according to the height of said vehicle occupant, and further comprising

a rotatable threaded spindle to adjust a height of said limit stop, and

a releasable holding means to hold said supporting casing in a normal resting position, and

a return stop to secure said supporting casing in a projected position, and

a flexible connecting element to connect said supporting casing to said gas source, and

upon activation of said gas source, said gas bag emerges at about the height of the head of a vehicle occupant and in a direction of the head of said vehicle occupant said supporting casing providing a supporting force said gas bag,

said gas bag further comprising an internal coating material to increase a hardness of said gas bag and arresting belts to restrict expansion of said gas bag,

said supporting casing is arranged essentially below an upper edge of said back rest in a normal resting position,

said gas source being located below said supporting casing in said back rest, said gas bag in its inflated condition having a degree of hardness matching a hardness of said back rest so that relative movements between the head and the upper body of said vehicle occupant are reduced to a minimum.