Patent ID: 8272665
Filing Date: 2012-09-25
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A vehicle seat side air bag assembly comprising: a vehicle seat having a frame, a foam pad mounted on the frame, and a trim cover that covers the foam pad and has an air bag deployment seam; an air bag module mounted on the frame and having an inflator and an air bag that is inflated by the inflator to open the deployment seam of the trim cover and extend outwardly therethrough to provide vehicle seat occupant protection; and an airbag guide that is fabricated from a flexible sheet and has an inner extremity that receives the air bag module and an outer extremity located toward the deployment seam of the trim cover so the air bag upon inflation moves to and through the deployment seam of the trim cover, the flexible sheet including a pair of panels having adjacent ends including a junction and the pair of panels also having opposite distal ends such that the flexible sheet when planar defines an elongated shape, the flexible sheet being folded at the junction and including a connection that secures the opposite distal ends to each other, one panel including a flap that is folded around the air bag module on the opposite side thereof from the deployment seam of the trim cover and having a connection to the other panel, and the flexible sheet being foldable about the junction in opposite directions and the flap being foldable in opposite directions so as to be usable for both left and right hand embodiments of the air bag assembly.