Serviceable assembly for seatbelt integrated deployable cushion

• US 7,681,911 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spahn, Brian Robert, Ruthinowski, Richard Edward, Jaradi, Dean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/119,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20090283994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733, 280/804, 280/801.1, 280/808, 297/468
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

A serviceable seatbelt integrated airbag assembly that is removably attached to a vehicle seat includes an integrated deployable cushion, an inflation device, and a lap belt portion. A bracket may be provided that is removably attached to the seat. The lap belt portion is generally removably attached to the seat structure through connection with a bracket or structural member of the seat assembly and secured by a removable fastener. The airbag cushion is attached to, or contained within, a portion of the lap belt portion seatbelt webbing. An end of the lap belt portion fits through an interfacing joint element attached to one end of the primary seatbelt webbing. The airbag inflation device is connected to the electrical system of the vehicle. Removal of the serviceable seatbelt integrated airbag assembly is accomplished by disconnecting the electrical connector from the electrical system of the vehicle and seatbelt integrated airbag lap belt portion. The removable fastener is removed to disengage the lap belt portion from connection with the seat assembly and the lap belt portion is then released from connection with the primary seatbelt assembly by feeding an end of the lap belt portion through the interfacing joint element Attachment of the serviceable assembly is accomplished by reversing the described steps. Removal of the remaining portion of the seatbelt system, including the retractor and upper seatbelt guide may be achieved after decoupling the seatbelt integrated airbag lap belt portion from the seat structure and primary seatbelt system.

Claims

1. A vehicle restraint system comprising:

a vehicle structure;

a seat attached to said structure;

a retractable seatbelt webbing having a first end and a second end;

a joint attached to said first end of said webbing;

a retractor to which said second end of said webbing is attached;

a lap belt associated with said joint and being removably attached to said seat or said vehicle structure; and

a deployable cushion integrated with said lap belt.

2. The restraint system of claim 1 which further includes a mounting feature associated with said one or the other of said seat and said vehicle structure and at least one releasable fastener, said first end of said lap belt being fixedly attached to said mounting feature, said second end of said lap belt being releasably attached to one or the other said mounting feature and a structural member of said seat by said at least one releasable fastener.

3. The restraint system of claim 2 further including a web anchor formed as part of said mounting feature, said first end of said lap belt being fixedly attached to said web anchor.

4. The restraint system of claim 2 wherein said mounting feature includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein said first end of said lap belt is fixedly attached to said upper portion and said second end of said lap belt is removably attached to said lower portion by a removable fastener.

5. The restraint system of claim 2 wherein said mounting feature includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein said first end of said lap belt is removably attached to said upper portion by a removable fastener and said second end of said lap belt is fixedly attached to said lower portion or to said seat.

6. The restraint system of claim 1 which further includes a mounting feature associated with said one or the other of said seat and said vehicle structure and at least one releasable fastener, at least one of said first end of said lap belt and said second end of said lap belt being releasably attached to said mounting feature by said at least one releasable fastener.

7. The restraint system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first end of said lap belt and said second end of said lap belt is releasably attached to said seat, or to said vehicle structure by said at least one releasable fastener.

8. The restraint system of claim 1 which further includes a deployable cushion inflation device fluidly connected to said deployable cushion.

9. The restraint system of claim 1 which further includes a mounting feature removably attachable to said seat and a deployable cushion inflation device attached to said mounting feature, said deployable cushion inflation device being fluidly connected to said deployable cushion.

10. A deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly for use with a seat assembly being fixed to a vehicle structure and an operatively associated retractable seatbelt webbing, the retractable seatbelt webbing having a first end connected to a seatbelt interfacing joint element and a second end connected to a retractor, the assembly comprising:

a mounting feature operatively associated with one of the seat assembly or the vehicle structure;

a lap belt having a first end and a second end, at least one of said first end or said second end of said lap belt being releasably attachable to said mounting feature, a portion of said lap belt being operatively associated with the seatbelt interfacing joint element of the seatbelt assembly;

a releasable fastener and in which both said first end; and

said second end of said lap belt are releasably attached to said mounting feature by said at least one releasable fastener.

11. The deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly of claim 10 which further includes at least one releasable fastener and in which the other of said first end or said second end of said lap belt is fixedly attached to said mounting feature by said releasable fastener.

12. The deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly of claim 11 further including a web anchor formed as part of said mounting feature, the fixedly attached end of said lap belt being fixedly attached to said web anchor.

13. The deployable cushion and seat assembly of claim 12 in which an aperture is formed in said web anchor, wherein a portion of said first end of said lap belt is positioned through said aperture.

14. The deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly of claim 10 further including a deployable cushion attached to said lap belt.

15. The deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly of claim 14 further including an airbag inflation device fluidly connected to the deployable cushion.

16. The deployable cushion and seatbelt assembly of claim 10 wherein said first end of said lap belt includes a first bracket and wherein said second end of said lap belt includes a second bracket, said first bracket having a profile and said second bracket having a profile, said profiles being at least partially matable.

17. A vehicle restraint system comprising:

a vehicle structure;

a seat attached to said structure;

a mounting feature attachable to said seat assembly or said structure;

a retractable seatbelt having an end;

a joint attached to said end of said retractable seatbelt webbing;

a lap belt associated with said joint and attached to said mounting feature;

a deployable cushion integrated with said lap belt; and

an inflation device fluidly connected with said deployable cushion.

18. The restraint system of claim 17 wherein said lap belt has a first end and a second end and wherein at least one of said first end or said second end is fixedly attached to said mounting feature.

19. The restraint system claim 17 wherein said lap belt has a first end and a second end and wherein at least one of said first end or said second end is releasably attached to said mounting feature.