Vehicle seat, motor vehicle, and airbag module

• US 7,611,195 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Hiromichi, Hiruta, Teruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEX, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US11/678,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070216140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.11, 297/728.1, 297/216.1, 297/216.15
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42718 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

A technology is provided effective for aiming at improving workability of an assembling work for assembling an airbag module at a vehicle seat main body side, in a vehicle seat, on which an airbag module is mounted having a construction in which an airbag is developed and expanded from a downside to an upside of a seat cushion against movement of a vehicle occupant in a condition of being seated in a vehicle seat toward a front side of a motor vehicle when accident occurs. The vehicle seat with respect to the present invention has a construction in which an airbag module is housed in a housing portion in a seat pan, and in which a through-hole, into which a harness that transmits an activation signal to a gas generator when accident occurs is inserted, is provided in the housing portion.

Claims

1. An airbag device in combination with a vehicle seat, the combination comprising:

a seat frame including a base frame and a back frame;

an elongate bracket member extending between and connected at either end thereof to the side frame members to extend below the seat pan;

a seat pan for supporting a seat cushion;

an airbag arranged to be deployed for lifting the seat cushion;

a gas generator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag;

a housing portion of the seat pan configured for receiving the airbag and the gas generator;

a signal transmission device for transmitting an electrical activation signal to the gas generator including an elongate harness having an enlarged end connector portion;

an opening in the seat pan housing portion configured and sized to fit the enlarged end connector portion of the signal transmission device therethrough;

an opening in the elongate bracket member configured and sized to fit the enlarged end connector portion of the signal transmission device theretbrough;

a fastening device that attaches the seat pan to the bracket member to be tightly engaged thereagainst so that the openings of the seat pan housing portion and the bracket member are aligned forming a through hole that extends in an axial direction and which has a length in the axial direction that is minimized due to the tight engagement between the seat pan housing portion and the bracket member to allow for easy insertion of the elongate harness including the enlarged end connector portion thereof therethrough; and

a sealing member sized to fit in the through hole and for extending about the elongate harness extending through the through hole in close contact therewith to keep moisture from accessing the seat pan housing portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the airbag and the gas generator are in an airbag module including a retainer, the seat pan housing portion includes a wall portion to which the retainer is fastened, and the opening of the seat pant housing portion for the signal transmission device portion is in the wall portion.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the signal transmission device portion comprises a connector of the gas generator, and the elongate harness has a connector at one end thereof opposite the enlarged end connector portion for being connected to the gas generator connector.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the housing portion of the seat pan comprises a recessed well in the seat pan in which the airbag and gas generator are received, and the opening of the seat pan housing portion is at a corner of the recessed well.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the bracket member extends adjacent to the recessed well for providing support thereto during airbag deployment.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the airbag and the gas generator are in an airbag module, the seat pan housing portion includes another opening,

the bracket member extending along the seat pan housing portion for providing support thereto during airbag deployment and having another opening aligned with the other opening of the seat pan housing portion, and

the fastening device includes a fastener associated with the airbag module and received through the aligned other openings for securing the airbag module, the seat pan, and the support member together.