Side airbag for installation into a motor vehicle, vehicle seat with such a side airbag and motor vehicle

• US 9,358,943 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brjeson, Gustav, Sandwall, Erik, Henricsson, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/810,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 280/740.1, 280/743.1, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• 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

Abstract

A side airbag for installation into a motor vehicle, a vehicle seat with such a side airbag and a motor vehicle with such a vehicle seat are described. The side airbag comprises at least one mounting device for mounting the side airbag on the backrest of the vehicle seat, an outer skin with a first side wall extending forwards, when viewed in the vehicle direction, and a second side wall connected to the first side wall. In order to be able, at as low a cost as possible, to protect the passengers to be protected better against a movement towards the middle of the vehicle, the second side wall extends essentially cross-ways to the vehicle direction when the outer skin is fully deployed and free from external forces, so that at least a third side wall connecting the first two side walls is present.

Claims

1. A side airbag for a seat of a motor vehicle, the side airbag comprising:

at least one mounting member for mounting of the side airbag to a lateral side of a backrest of the seat;

an outer skin having a first side wall extending forward in relation of a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle; and

a second side wall connected to the first side wall, the second side wall extending basically perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outer forces, such that at least a third side wall connects the first and the second side walls;

wherein the first and second side walls both have surface normals in a horizontal plane, the first side wall extends essentially forwardly from the at least one mounting member in the longitudinal direction and the second side wall extends essentially in a vehicle transverse direction, and further wherein the first side wall inflates along a lateral side of the seat;

wherein the first side wall directly extends from the second side wall and the second side wall extends from proximate the at least one mounting member, and

wherein the second side wall is greater in length than the first side wall and the first and second side walls are generally planar when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outside forces.

2. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the side walls of the outer skin are part of a lateral surface and wherein at an upper end and at a lower end of this lateral surface a cap made from a separate cutting is provided such that the outer skin enclosing a gas compartment consists of at least three cuttings.

3. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting member is located in a transitional area between the first and the second side walls.

4. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein an inner angle between the first and the second side walls is at least 90°

when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outer forces.

5. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall extends forward in a slanting way such that it slants towards a passenger to be protected.

6. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the second side wall rearwardly extends in a slanted way.

7. The side airbag according to claim 1 in combination with the seat of the motor vehicle, the side airbag mounted to an inboard side of the seat.

8. The side airbag according to claim 1, in combination with the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including two individual seats, wherein only one individual seat carries the side airbag, the side airbag located on a side of a backrest which is located on an inner side of the motor vehicle.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the individual seats are adjustable such that the second side wall comes into contact with the backrest of the other individual seat.

10. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting member is located proximate an intersection of the first and second side walls.

11. The side airbag according to claim 1, further comprising a gas generator disposed within the outer skin, the at least one mounting member extending from the gas generator through the outer skin.

12. The side airbag according to claim 1, wherein the first side wall is the shortest of the first, second and third side walls.

13. The side airbag according to claim 12, wherein the outer skin has a first dimension in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and a second dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, the second dimension being greater than the first dimension.

14. A side airbag for a motor vehicle, the side airbag comprising:

at least one mounting member for mounting of the side airbag to an inboard lateral side of a backrest of a seat; and

an outer skin having first, second and third side walls, the outer skin further having an upper cap and a lower cap both oriented generally perpendicular to each of the first, second and third side walls;

wherein the first and second side walls both have surface normals in a horizontal plane, the first side wall extends essentially forwardly from the at least one mounting member in a longitudinal direction and the second side wall extends essentially in a vehicle transverse direction and further wherein the first side wall inflates along a lateral side of the seat;

wherein the first and second side walls are generally planar and oriented generally vertically

wherein the first side wall directly extends from the second side wall and the second side wall extends from proximate the at least one mounting member, and

wherein the second side wall is greater in length than the first side wall and the first and second side walls are generally planar and generally perpendicular to one another when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outside forces.

15. The side airbag according to claim 14, wherein the at least one mounting member is located proximate an intersection of the first and second side walls.

16. The side airbag according to claim 15, wherein the second side wall extends generally perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

17. The side airbag according to claim 14, further comprising a gas generator disposed within the outer skin, the at least one mounting member extending from the gas generator through the outer skin.

18. The side airbag according to claim 14, wherein the first side wall is the shortest of the first, second and third side walls.

19. The side airbag according to claim 18, wherein the outer skin has a first dimension in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and a second dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, the second dimension being greater than the first dimension.

20. A seating arrangement for a motor vehicle, the seating arrangement comprising:

a first vehicle seat;

a side airbag mounted to an inboard lateral side of a backrest of the first vehicle seat, the side airbag including;

at least one mounting member mounting the side airbag to a lateral side of the backrest of the seat; and

an outer skin having first, second and third vertically oriented side walls, the first side wall extending forward from the second side wall in relation to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the second side wall extending directly from the first side wall in a direction basically crossways to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle,

wherein the second side wall is greater in length than the first side wall and the first and second side walls are generally planar when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outside forces.

21. The seating arrangement according to claim 20, wherein an inner angle between the first and the second side walls is at least 90°

when the outer skin is fully deployed and free of outer forces.

22. The seating arrangement of claim 20, further comprising a second vehicle seat laterally spaced relative to the first vehicle seat,

wherein when the second seat only is occupied, upon inflation of the outer skin, the first side wall extends to a first backrest of the first vehicle seat and is supported on the first backrest, the second sidewall defining an impact surface for the occupant;

and

wherein when the first seat only is occupied, upon inflation of the outer skin, the second side wall extends to a second backrest of the second vehicle seat and is supported on the second backrest, the first side wall defining an impact surface for the occupant.