Anti-submarine vehicle seat device

• US 6,908,149 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Shono, Hajime, Yamaguchi, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/526,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/284.11
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42781 mechanical triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering

Abstract

Provided is an anti-submarine vehicle seat device which can reliably prevent submarining without complicating the assembling of the seat assembly, and is adapted to be retrofitted. Major parts of the device are incorporated into a subassembly which comprises a casing adapted to be attached to a seat frame, a power actuator fixedly secured in the casing, an arm pivotally supported by the casing, and adapted to be actuated by the power actuator, and a lock mechanism for keeping the arm substantially at an actuated position once the arm is actuated by the power actuator.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat device for raising a front part of a seat to prevent a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as vehicle crash, comprising:

at least one subassembly including a casing adapted to be attached to a seat frame, said casing including a longitudinally elongated hollow member, a power actuator fixedly secured in said hollow member, and an arm pivotally supported by said casing and adapted to be actuated by said power actuator; and

a restraint member fixedly attached to a free end of said arm so as to be moveable jointly with said arm between a retracted position and a deployed position.

2. A vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein said subassembly is provided on each side of the seat, and said restraint member is connected between the free ends of the arms of said subassemblies.

3. A vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein said subassembly is attached to an inner surface of an upright side flange of said seat frame.

4. A vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein said subassembly is provided on each side of said seat frame.

5. A vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein said subassembly is provided only on one side of said seat frame.

6. A subassembly for a vehicle seat device for raising a front part of a seat to prevent a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a casing adapted to be attached to a seat frame, said casing including a longitudinally elongated hollow member, and wherein said casing is formed by a casing main body having an open bottom and a lid portion closing said open bottom;

a power actuator fixedly secured in said hollow member; and

an arm pivotally supported by said casing, and adapted to be actuated by said power actuator.

7. A subassembly for a vehicle seat device for raising a front part of a seat to prevent a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a casing adapted to be attached to a seat frame, said casing including a longitudinally elongated hollow member;

a power actuator fixedly secured in said hollow member, wherein said power actuator comprises a piston/cylinder assembly which is powered by a propellant; and

an arm pivotally supported by said casing, and adapted to be actuated by said power actuator, wherein said arm is pivotally supported by a pivot pin passed laterally across a front end of said casing and a base end of said arm, and wherein a front end of said casing is provided with a longitudinally elongated guide slot, and said arm is provided with a vertically elongated slot at a part thereof offset from said pivot pin, an actuator pin being passed through said slots, a working end of said piston/cylinder assembly being connected to said actuator pin while said piston/cylinder assembly is retained in said casing.

8. A subassembly for a vehicle seat device for raising a front part of a seat to prevent a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a casing adapted to be attached to a seat frame, said casing including a longitudinally elongated hollow member;

a power actuator fixedly secured in said hollow member; and

an arm pivotally supported by said casing, and adapted to be actuated by said power actuator, wherein said arm is pivotally supported by a pivot pin passed laterally across a front end of said casing and a base end of said arm, and wherein said pivot pin consists of a hollow pin which is adapted to receive a mounting bolt for attaching said casing to said seat frame.