Vehicle inflatable restraint system

• US 6,237,936 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Brown, Joseph Robert, Quade, Marshall Lawrence, Clark, David Webster
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHRIVER II, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/222,164
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/728.3
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening
• 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

Abstract

An inflatable restraint system for attachment to an occupant seat of an automotive vehicle has a canister with an inflatable restraint deployable therefrom, a chute member slidably engaged with the canister for directing deployment of the inflatable restraint and movable between a stowed position when the inflatable restraint is uninflated and the deployed position when the inflatable restraint is inflated. Tethers or other retention devices are attached between the canister and the chute member to retain the chute member in a predetermined position with respect to the canister so as to direct deployment of the inflatable restraint in a predetermined direction from the occupant seat.

Claims

1. An inflatable restraint system for an occupant seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a canister having an inflatable restraint deployable therefrom and adapted for attachment to the occupant seat;

a chute member deployable from the canister for directing deployment of the inflatable restraint, wherein the chute member slidably engages the canister for movement between a stowed position when the inflatable restraint is uninflated and in a deployed position when the inflatable restraint is inflated, and wherein the chute member has an exit end with a tear seam therein for allowing the inflatable restraint to exit therefrom when the chute member is in the deployed position; and

retention means for retaining the chute member in a predetermined position with respect to the canister so as to direct deployment of the inflatable restraint in a predetermined direction from the occupant seat.

2. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 1 wherein the exit end of the chute member is narrowed with respect to a base end of the chute member.

3. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 1 wherein the retention means comprises at least one tether attached between the canister and the chute member.

4. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 1 wherein the retention means comprises at least one tether of a first predetermined length mounted between a first canister side and a first chute side, and at least one tether of a second predetermined length mounted between a second canister side and a second chute side.

5. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 1 including attachment means for releasably attaching the chute member to the canister.

6. An inflatable restraint system adapted for attachment to an occupant seat of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a canister having an inflatable restraint deployable therefrom;

a chute member engaged with the canister for directing deployment of the inflatable restraint;

a retention system attached between the canister and the chute member to retain the chute member in a predetermined position with respect to the canister so as to direct deployment of the inflatable restraint in a predetermined direction from the occupant seat; and

at least one attachment tab on one of the canister and the chute member for releasable attachment with the other of the canister and the chute member.

7. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 6 wherein the chute member slidably engages the canister for movement between a stowed position when the inflatable restraint is uninflated and a deployed position when the inflatable restraint is inflated.

8. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 7 wherein the chute member has an exit end with a tear seam therein for allowing the inflatable restraint to exit therefrom when the chute member is in the deployed position.

9. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 8 wherein the chute member has a narrowed exit end with respect to a base end of the chute member adapted for movement through a deployment path in the occupant seat.

10. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 6 wherein the retention system comprises at least one tether of a first predetermined length mounted between a first canister side and a first chute side, and at least one tether of a second predetermined length mounted between a second canister side and a second chute side.

11. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 6 wherein the chute member has at least one inflatable restraint deflector in the exit end thereof.

12. A vehicle seat with a side airbag system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a seat frame adapted for mounting to the automotive vehicle;

a seat cushion attached to the seat frame and having a pocket therein adjacent the frame;

an inflatable restraint module positioned in the pocket and secured to the frame, the module having;

a canister containing an inflatable restraint deployable through an open end thereof;

a chute member slidably engaged over the open end of the canister and movable between a stowed position when the inflatable restraint is uninflated and a deployed position when the airbag is inflated, the chute member having an exit end and with a tear seam therein for allowing the inflatable restraint to exit therefrom when in the deployed position;

retention means for retaining the chute member in a predetermined position with respect to the canister when in the deployed position so as to direct the inflatable restraint in a predetermined direction from the seat; and

at least one attachment tab on one of the canister and the chute member for releasable attaching engagement with the other of the canister and the chute member.

13. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 12 wherein the exit end is a solid triangular shaped portion with a tear seam extending along a leading edge and onto opposing sides of the exit end for allowing the inflatable restraint to exit therefrom when the chute member is in the deployed position.

14. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 13 wherein the leading edge of the chute member moves through a deployment path in the occupant seat between the pocket and an outer surface of the occupant seat.

15. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 14 wherein the inflatable restraint separates the tear seam of the exit end of the chute member when in the deployed position to create at least one inflatable restraint deflector in the exit end to direct deployment of the inflatable restraint outside of the occupant seat.

16. The inflatable restraint system according to claim 12 wherein the retention means comprises at least one tether of a first predetermined length mounted between the canister the chute member, and at least one tether of a second predetermined length mounted between the canister and the chute member.