Safety apparatus

• US 5,251,931 A
• Filed: 03/09/1992
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Thompson, Richard J., Faigle, Ernst M., Semchena, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICKSON, PAUL N
• Application Number:
  US07/851,981
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/730, 280/743, 280/728 A, 280/728 B, 280/730 A, 297/216, 297/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

A safety apparatus includes an air bag 32 which is inflatable to an extended condition disposed between a hip 38 of a person 12 seated on a vehicle seat 14 and a door 16 of the vehicle. An inflator assembly 22 provides gas to inflate the air bag. The inflator assembly 22 and the air bag 32 are mounted on the vehicle seat 14 for movement with the vehicle seat relative to the body of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for cushioning a person seated on a vehicle seat which is movable relative to a body of a vehicle, the vehicle seat having a back cushion portion and a bottom cushion portion, said safety apparatus comprising:

an air bas which is inflatable from a storage condition to an extended condition, said air bag having means for extending between a hip of the person seated on the vehicle seat and the door of the vehicle when said air bag is in its extended condition;

first inflator means for providing gas to inflate the air bag from the storage condition to the extended condition; and

means for mounting said air bag and said first inflator means on the vehicle seat and entirely beneath the bottom cushion portion of the vehicle seat for movement with the vehicle seat relative to the body of the vehicle.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first inflator means includes means for effecting initial inflation of said air bas toward the vehicle door from the storage condition.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein an upper end portion of said air bag is disposed at a level below the lower edge portion of a window opening formed in the door when said air bag is in the extended condition.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air bag extends upward from a level below the hip of a person seated on the seat of the vehicle to a location adjacent to the shoulders of a person seated on the seat of the vehicle when said air bag is in the extended condition.

5. A safety apparatus for cushioning a person seated n a vehicle seat which is movable relative to a body of a vehicle, the vehicle seat having a back cushion portion and a bottom cushion portion, said safety apparatus comprising:

an air bag which is inflatable from a storage condition to an extended condition, said air bag having means for extending between a hip of the person seated on the vehicle seat and the door of the vehicle when said air bag is in its extended condition;

first inflator means for providing gas to inflate the air bag from the storage condition to the extended condition; and

means for mounting said first inflator means on the vehicle seat and entirely beneath the bottom cushion portion of the vehicle seat for movement with the vehicle seat relative to the body of the vehicle.