Air bag deployment arrangement

• US 7,134,685 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Panagos, Bill C., Schulte, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich, George D
• Application Number:
  US10/758,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• 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

Abstract

An assembly for a vehicle seat includes an air bag module having an inflatable air bag, and a trim cover that covers at least a portion of the air bag module. The trim cover further has a deployment seam for allowing the air bag to deploy through the trim cover. The assembly also includes an air bag deployment member for guiding deployment of the air bag, and the deployment member has first and second sections. The first section is connected to the trim cover and extends toward a first side of the air bag module. The second section is connected to the first section at a location proximate the trim cover and extends toward a second side of the air bag module. Furthermore, the second section of the deployment member is not connected directly to the trim cover, and the deployment member is connected to the trim cover on only one side of the deployment seam.

Claims

1. An assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

an air bag module including an inflatable air bag;

a trim cover that covers at least a portion of the air bag module, the trim cover having a deployment seam for allowing the air bag to deploy through the trim cover; and

an air bag deployment member for guiding deployment of the air bag, the deployment member having first and second sections, the first section being connected to the trim cover at a first connection location and extending toward a first side of the air bag module, the second section being connected to the first section at a second connection location proximate the trim cover and extending toward a second side of the air bag module, wherein the second section of the deployment member is not connected directly to the trim cover and the deployment member is connected to the trim cover on only one side of the deployment seam, and wherein the second connection location is spaced away from the first connection location.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the deployment member substantially circumscribes the air bag module.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the deployment member comprises a one piece band that circumscribes the air bag module.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the deployment member comprises multiple pieces that are connected together such that the deployment member circumscribes the air bag module.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a frame for supporting the air bag module, and wherein the deployment member at least partially surrounds the frame.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the air bag module further includes an inflator for inflating the air bag, and a housing that substantially surrounds the air bag and the inflator.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the air bag module further includes an inflator for inflating the air bag, and a covering member that at least partially surrounds the air bag.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the deployment member is configured to allow the second section to disconnect from the first section upon inflation of the air bag, to thereby allow the air bag to deploy though the deployment seam.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first section of the deployment member has a first end connected to the trim cover, and the second section of the deployment member has a second end connected to the first section proximate the first end, and wherein the second end is spaced away from the trim cover and is configured to separate from the first section upon inflation of the air bag.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the second section of the deployment member contacts the trim cover, and wherein the deployment member is configured to allow the second section to disconnect from the first section upon inflation of the air bag, to thereby allow the air bag to deploy through the deployment seam.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the air bag module further includes a housing that at least partially surrounds the air bag, the housing including first and second housing portions that are movable away from each other upon inflation of the air bag, and wherein the first section of the deployment device has an end connected to the first housing portion, the second section of the deployment device has an end connected to the second housing portion, and the end of the first section is spaced away from the end of the second section.

14. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the deployment band comprises multiple pieces that are connected together.

12. A cushion assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

a frame;

an air bag module supported by the frame, the air bag module including an inflatable air bag, and an inflator for inflating the air bag;

a trim cover that covers at least a portion of the air bag module, the trim cover having a deployment seam for allowing the air bag to deploy through the trim cover; and

an air bag deployment band for guiding deployment of the air bag, the deployment band substantially circumscribing the air bag module, the deployment band further having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the trim cover on one side of the deployment seam at a first connection location, and the second end being connected to a portion of the deployment band proximate the first end at a second connection location spaced away from the first connection location, wherein the second end of the deployment band is not connected directly to the trim cover and the deployment band is connected to the trim cover on only one side of the deployment seam, and wherein the deployment band is configured to allow the second end to separate from the portion of the deployment band proximate the first end upon inflation of the air bag, to thereby allow the air bag to deploy through the deployment seam.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the deployment band includes a single piece band body that extends from the first end to the second end.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the second end of the deployment band is spaced away from the trim cover.

16. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the second end of the deployment band contacts the trim cover.

17. An assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

an air bag module including an inflatable air bag;

a trim cover covering at least a portion of the air bag module; and

an air bag deployment device for guiding deployment of the air bag, the deployment device having first and second sections, the first section being connected to the trim cover at a first connection location and extending toward a first side of the air bag module, the second section being connected to the first section at a second connection location proximate the trim cover and extending toward a second side of the air bag module, the second connection location being spaced away from the first connection location, wherein the second section is not connected directly to the trim cover, and wherein the deployment device is configured to allow the second section to disconnect from the first section upon inflation of the air bag.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the air bag module further includes a housing that at least partially surrounds the air bag, the housing including first and second housing portions that are movable away from each other upon inflation of the air bag, and wherein the first section of the deployment device has an end connected to the first housing portion, the second section of the deployment device has an end connected to the second housing portion, and the end of the first section is spaced away from the end of the second section.

19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second sections of the deployment device cooperate to substantially surround the air bag module.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the trim cover has a deployment seam for allowing the air bag to deploy though the trim cover, and wherein the first section of the deployment device is connected to the trim cover on one side of the deployment seam.

21. The assembly of claim 17 further comprising a frame for supporting the air bag module, and wherein at least one of the sections of the deployment device is connected to the frame.

22. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the first section of the deployment device has a first end connected to the trim cover, and the second section of the deployment device has a second end connected to a portion of the first section, and wherein the second end is spaced away from the trim cover.

23. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the second section of the deployment device contacts the trim cover.

24. An assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

an air bag module including an inflatable air bag;

a trim cover covering at least a portion of the air bag module; and

an air bag deployment device for guiding deployment of the air bag, the deployment device having first and second sections, the first section being connected to the trim cover and extending toward a first side of the air bag module, the second section being connected to the first section at a location proximate the trim cover and extending toward a second side of the air bag module, wherein the second section is not connected directly to the trim cover, and wherein the deployment device is configured to allow the second section to disconnect from the first section upon inflation of the air bag;

wherein the air bag module further includes a housing that at least partially surrounds the air bag, the housing including first and second housing portions, and wherein the first section of the deployment device has an end connected to the first housing portion, the second section of the deployment device has an end connected to the second housing portion, and the end of the first section is spaced away from the end of the second section.