Patent ID: 6293580
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
In a motor vehicle having a deployable air bag in a seat thereof, the combination comprising:a gas generator;an inflatable air bag having one end connected to the gas generator to receive gas therefrom to inflate the air bag, and an outboard end generally opposite the one end;a cover sheet on the vehicle seat of a first material with a predetermined rigidity thereof, and having first and second panels each of a predetermined size including a predetermined width and height;a frangible seam joining the first and second panels and located at a preferred air bag deployment location with the outboard end of the bag adjacent the seam so that upon deployment thereof the outboard end directly engages the seam; anda fabric reinforcement material of a predetermined rigidity greater than that of the cover sheet material, and attached at predetermined locations on the first and second panels coordinated with the position of the air bag so that the expansion forces of the air bag are taken thereby, and adjacent the frangible seam to cause the inflating air bag to seek the frangible seam and to deploy through the preferred deployment location, the fabric reinforcement material sized to extend for substantially the full width of each of the panels and less than the full height to minimize elongation of the full widthwise expanse of the seat cover sheet panels and keeping the amount of material used for the reinforcement material to a minimum.