Headrest with gas bag module

• US 6,149,231 A
• Filed: 05/18/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Wustholz, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/314,475
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.12, 297/216.13, 297/216.14, 297/391, 280/728.1, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 297/216.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/80 Head-rests
• 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: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2074 in head rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover

Abstract

A headrest intended to be mounted to a backrest of a vehicle seat includes a headrest pad with an impact surface for the head of an occupant, a base body which has a cavity and a support by which said headrest is adapted to be secured to a vehicle seat backrest, and an exchangeable gas bag module which is at least partially inserted into said cavity of said base body. The gas bag module forms a unit of a gas bag and a gas generator adapted to inflate the gas bag in the case of restraint and having a module pad which at least partially forms the headrest pad of the headrest.

Claims

1. A headrest for mounting to a backrest of a vehicle seat, said headrest comprising:

a headrest pad having an impact surface for receiving the head of an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat;

a base body having receiving means for receiving an exchangeable gas bag module and a support for securing said headrest to the vehicle seat backrest; and

an exchangeable gas bag module which is at least partially inserted into said receiving means of said base body, said gas bag module comprising;

an inflatable gas bag;

a gas generator for inflating said gas bag; and

a module pad forming at least a portion of said headrest pad of said headrest;

said gas bag, when inflated by said gas generator, emerging through said module pad.

2. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said headrest has a front face, said headrest pad being arranged on said front face.

3. The headrest of claim 2 wherein said module pad of said gas bag module forms the entire headrest pad on said front face of said headrest.

4. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said headrest has a back face, said headrest pad being arranged on said back face.

5. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said base body has a base body pad which forms part of said headrest pad and which surrounds said module pad of said gas bag module to form a frame when said gas bag module is inserted into said receiving means of said base body.

6. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said gas bag module is secured to said base body by a snap fit connection.

7. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said receiving means of said base body and said gas bag module have complementary shapes so that, when said bag module is inserted into said receiving means, said gas bag module is held with an interlocking fit in said receiving means.

8. The headrest of claim 1 wherein said base body of said headrest is constructed as a frame, said receiving means for receiving a gas bag module extending from a front face to a rear face of said frame.

9. An exchangeable gas bag module for incorporation into a receiving means of a headrest adapted for arrangement on a backrest of a vehicle seat, said gas bag module comprising:

a gas bag;

a gas generator adapted to inflate said gas bag in the case of restraint;

a module pad which forms at least a portion of an impact surface for the head of an occupant; and

a first part of a latching connection for securing said gas bag module to the headrest.

10. The gas bag module of claim 9 wherein said module pad is adapted to form at least a part of a headrest pad on a rear face of the headrest.

11. The gas bag module according to claim 9 further comprising a housing in which said gas generator and said gas bag are accommodated, said housing comprising a second part of said latching connection.