Child seat with deployable side airbags

• US 7,293,828 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawk; Noah Chandler
• Application Number:
  US10/830,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20040251721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.11, 297/216.12, 297/250.1, 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 297/216.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2851 provided with head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2872 provided with side rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2072 in children's seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26005 the inflation fluid being transferred to the inflatable member by the mechanical deformation of the fluid container during an impact

Abstract

A child seat includes a seat body having a seat portion, a rear portion, and left and right side panels; airbags to be inflated at sides of a head of a child; and hollow cushions disposed along inner surfaces of the side panels. When an automobile equipped with the child seat collides, the airbags are inflated at the sides of the head of the child, so that an impact applied to the head is absorbed. Furthermore, the cushions absorb a large impact from sides in a side collision and the like. The cushions are preferably disposed below regions where the airbags are inflated. The cushions receive a part of the child other than the head to absorb the impact.

Claims

1. A child seat for protecting a child, comprising:

a seat body having a seat portion, a rear portion, and left and right side panels,

an airbag provided on an inner upper side of at least one of the side panels of the seat body defined between the left and right side panels, and

a cushion having a hollow body disposed on an inner surface of at least one of the side panels under the airbag inside seat body, said cushion being filled with gas and connected to the airbag so that when the cushion is pushed above a predetermined value, said cushion provides gas filled in the hollow body to the airbag to inflate the airbag,

wherein said cushion is disposed below an area where the airbag is inflated and projects inwardly from one of the side panels in a state that the airbag is not inflated;

said airbag and cushion are provided on each inner side of the side panels; and

said airbags provided on the side panels are connected together horizontally through a duct, said duct being inflated when the airbags are inflated.

2. A child seat according to claim 1, wherein said cushion includes a gasbag filled with the gas.

3. A child seat according to claim 2, wherein said gasbag includes a gas discharging device for discharging the gas in the gasbag toward the airbag when a gas pressure inside the gasbag exceeds the predetermined value.

4. A child seat according to claim 1, wherein said cushion includes a shape-maintaining device for maintaining a shape of the cushion until a pressing force applied to the cushion reaches a predetermined value.

5. A child seat according to claim 4, wherein said shape-maintaining device includes a spacer.

6. A child seat according to claim 1, wherein said airbag includes an inflation-shape regulating device for regulating a shape of the airbag in an inflated state.

7. A child seat according to claim 6, wherein said inflation-shape regulating device includes a tether strap.

8. A child seat according to claim 1, wherein said airbag includes a venting device for discharging the gas inside the airbag.

9. A child seat for protecting a child, comprising:

a seat body having a seat portion, a rear portion, and left and right side panels,

an airbag to be inflated at an inner upper side of the seat body defined between the left and right side panels, and

a cushion having a gasbag disposed on an inner surface of at least one of the side panels, said gasbag being filled with gas to be supplied to the airbag,

wherein said gasbag includes a gas discharging device for discharging the gas in the gasbag toward the airbag when a gas pressure inside the gasbag exceeds a predetermined value, and a check valve for preventing the gas from flowing from the airbag to the gasbag.