Vehicle seat with a gas bag module integrated in a back rest

• US 7,178,826 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Loos, Andreas, Acker, Dominique, Hofmann, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/360,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/728.3, 297/216.13
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A vehicle seat comprises a back rest and a gas bag module integrated into said back rest extending in an upward direction to have an upward extent. The gas bag module includes a gas bag and a gas generator. When installed, the gas bag is arranged within the back rest so as to be extended in the upward direction of the back rest and one of folded and rolled up transversely to the upward direction. A height of said gas bag when inflated corresponds substantially to said upward extent of the back rest.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising a back rest having an upper end and a lower end and a gas bag module integrated into said back rest, said back rest extending in an upward direction and having an upward length measured between the upper and lower ends of said back rest, said gas bag module including a gas bag and an inflator,

said gas bag when installed being arranged within said back rest so as to extend in said upward direction of said back rest throughout substantially the entire height of said back rest, said gas bag when arranged within said back rest being one of folded and rolled up transversely to said upward direction, said gas bag having an upper end and a lower end,

said gas bag, when arranged within said back rest and uninflated, comprising a flexible package, the flexible package extending from said inflator along i) said inflator, ii) said upward direction of the back rest from said inflator and terminating adjacent the upper end of the back rest, and iii) from an opposite lower end of said inflator opposite said upward direction of the back rest and terminating adjacent the lower end of the back rest, and

said gas bag, when inflated, extending along the upward length of the back rest between the lower end of the back rest and the upper end of the back rest, a height of said gas bag when inflated corresponding substantially to said upward length of said back rest, said gas bag when inflated having a portion facing in the direction transversely to said upward direction of said back rest, said portion terminating at the gas bag upper end adjacent the back rest upper end and terminating at the gas bag lower end adjacent the back rest lower end.

2. A vehicle seat comprising a back rest having an upper end and a lower end and a gas bag module integrated into said back rest, said back rest extending in an upward direction and having an upward length measured between the upper and lower ends of said back rest, said gas bag module including a gas bag and a gas generator,

said gas bag when installed being arranged within said back rest and extending substantially outstretched in said upward direction of said back rest and being one of folded and rolled up transversely to said upward direction, said gas bag having an upper end and a lower end, said gas bag, when arranged within said back rest and uninflated, having first and second flexible package sections, the first flexible package section extending from an upper end of said gas generator along said upward direction of the back rest and terminating adjacent the upper end of the back rest and the second flexible package section extending from an opposite lower end of said gas generator opposite said upward direction of the back rest and terminating adjacent the lower end of the back rest, said first and second flexible package sections forming flexible gas bag module terminal ends, and

said gas bag, when inflated, extending along the upward length of the back rest between the lower end of the back rest and the upper end of the back rest, a height of said gas bag when inflated corresponding substantially to said upward length of said back rest, said gas bag when inflated having a portion facing in the direction transversely to said upward direction of said back rest, said portion terminating at the gas bag upper end adjacent the back rest upper end and terminating at the gas bag lower end adjacent the back rest lower end.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein a course of one of said first and second flexible package sections is adapted to a contour of said back rest, seen in a side view of said vehicle seat.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 3 wherein said gas generator, in relation to said upward length of said back rest, is arranged substantially in a middle of said back rest, seen in a side view of said vehicle seat.

5. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas generator is arranged in said gas bag.

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas bag module is embedded in said vehicle seat by a foam.

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said back rest has a frame and wherein a receiving space for said gas bag module is provided in said frame.

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas bag module is a pre-assembled unit which is constructed without a rigid outer housing at least in a region outside of said gas generator.

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas bag is folded transversely to said upward direction.

10. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas bag is rolled transversely to said upward direction.

11. The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein said gas generator is a flexible tube gas generator.

12. The vehicle seat according to claim 2 wherein the height of said gas bag, when uninflated and integrated into said back rest corresponds substantially to the height of said gas bag, when inflated.

13. The vehicle seat according to claim 2 wherein the cross-sectional area of each of said first and second flexible package sections is smaller than the cross-sectional area of said gas generator.

14. The vehicle seat according to claim 2 wherein said gas bag, when inflating, does not unfold parallel to said upward direction of said back rest.