VEHICLE SEAT ARRANGEMENT AND AIRBAG ARRANGEMENT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND A METHOD FOR PROTECTING A VEHICLE OCCUPANT

• US 20110169250A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Weyrich, Christian, Geiselhart, Werner, Sendelbach, Hans-Peter, Korth, Mirko, Miller, Edwin, BREUNINGER, Martin, Kraft, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided. The vehicle seat arrangement comprising a vehicle seat, which comprises at least one inflatable element for protecting a vehicle occupant residing on the vehicle seat. The inflatable element is formed and arranged such that said element expands predominantly in direction towards the vehicle occupant when inflated. The inflatable element is integrated into a backrest of the vehicle seat unfolded or provided with only one fold or a protuberance, wherein the inflatable element is arranged between a cushion of the vehicle seat and a cover of the vehicle seat or inside the cushion.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising

a vehicle seat which comprises at least one inflatable element for protecting a vehicle occupant residing on the vehicle seat, wherein

the inflatable element is formed and arranged such that said element expands predominantly in direction towards the vehicle occupant when inflated, wherein

the inflatable element is integrated in a backrest of the vehicle seat unfolded or provided only with a fold or a protuberance, wherein

the inflatable element is arranged between a cushion of the vehicle seat and a cover of the vehicle seat or inside the cushion.

2. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element extends in the inflated status largely between a side of the vehicle seat built into the vehicle, wherein said side faces the vehicle longitudinal side being closer to the vehicle seat, and the vehicle occupant.

3. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element is formed and arranged such that while expanding said element exerts a force onto the vehicle occupant which moves the occupant away from a vehicle side of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the inflatable element is formed for exerting the force onto the vehicle occupant before said element comes in contact with a section of a vehicle side structure intruding into the vehicle interior space.

5. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising means for damping a collision of a vehicle occupant and/or a vehicle structure onto the inflatable element.

6. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 5, wherein

the inflatable element is formed for exerting the force onto the vehicle occupant in a first phase of the expansion;

and

the means for damping a collision are formed to be activated only during a subsequent, second phase of the expansion of the inflatable element.

7. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least two inflatable elements are arranged in the assembled status of the vehicle seat above each other along the height direction and/or at least two inflatable elements are arranged side by side cross-wise to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

8. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a majority of inflatable elements, wherein said elements being formed in each case in form of a chamber of a multiple chamber element.

9. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element is arranged at or in a section of a side cheek of the vehicle seat, wherein said section faces the vehicle occupant.

10. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable element rests against the cushion and/or the cover.

11. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising fixing means via which the inflatable element is fixed to a structure of the vehicle seat such that the direction of expanding the inflatable element is influenced.

12. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1, comprising

a wrapping material, which delimits a chamber of the inflatable element;

and

at least one connecting element, which connects two sections of the internal side of the wrapping material with each other such that the direction of the expansion of the inflatable element is influenced.

13. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1 comprising an airbag which extends in the unfolded status largely between a vehicle longitudinal side and the vehicle seat.

14. The vehicle seat arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the inflatable element extends flat in the unfolded status.

15. A method for protecting a vehicle occupant comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle seat comprising an inflatable element, said element is integrated in a backrest of a vehicle seat unfolded or only provided with a fold or a protuberance;

inflating the inflatable element such that it expands predominantly in direction towards the vehicle occupant, wherein

the inflatable element is arranged between a cushion of the vehicle seat and a cover of the vehicle seat or inside the cushion.

16. An airbag arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising

an airbag which is inflatable to protect an occupant of the motor vehicle, wherein the airbag comprises a first section and a second section connected thereto, and

a region of a base body of a vehicle seat extending along the vertical vehicle axis, wherein said region comprises an internal side, which faces the first section and the occupant residing as intended on the vehicle seat, wherein the first section of the airbag extends before inflating the airbag plane along said internal side,

wherein the second section is folded over before the inflation of the airbag in direction of the first section such that the second section extends plane along the first section and faces the first section along the vehicle cross-axis.

17. The airbag arrangement according to claim 16, comprising a section of a seat foam of a vehicle seat, which encompasses at least sectionally the region of the base body.

18. The airbag arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the at least one airbag and/or the gas generator is encompassed by the section of the seat foam, in particular is laid in foam in said section or is arranged in a recess formed in the seat foam section, wherein in particular a wall the limiting said recess comprises a notch so that the recess can be enlarged by the inflating airbag or by the two inflating airbag.

19. The airbag arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the airbag comprise at least one opening with an edge section delimiting the opening, wherein the edge section is designed and provided to be engaged by the seat foam while laying the airbag in foam in order to connect the airbag to the seat foam.

20. Airbag arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the airbag layers of the airbag or the two airbags being adjacent to each other are adhered to each other and to the section of the seat foam wherein said adhesions are released during inflation of the airbag or during inflation of the two airbags.