Side air bag assembly for vehicle seat

A vehicle seat air bag assembly (17) having an air bag module (18) includes an air bag guide (44) that is foldable from a flexible sheet (46) to provide both left and right hand embodiments with connection of distal ends of the flexible sheet to each other after the folding fabrication. The air bag guide (44) guides an air bag (40) of the air bag module (18) during inflation and movement to and through a trim cover deployment seam (34).

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to a vehicle seat side air bag assembly having an air bag guide for guiding an air bag for deployment during use.

2. Background Art

Vehicle seat components have previously included side air bag modules and conventionally include trim covers that have an air bag deployment seam to which an air bag upon inflation moves through a guide and through which the air bag is projected outwardly from within the seat to provide occupant protection. See, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,531 of William J. Paruszkiewicz et al.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle seat side air bag assembly for providing seat occupant protection.

In carrying out the above object, a vehicle seat side air bag assembly constructed in accordance with the invention includes 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 of the air bag assembly is mounted on the frame and has 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. An air bag guide of the air bag assembly 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 includes a pair of panels having adjacent ends including a junction and the pair of panels also have opposite distal ends such that the flexible sheet when planar defines an elongated shape. The flexible sheet is folded at the junction and includes a connection that secures the opposite distal ends of the panels to each other. One panel includes a flap that is folded around the air bag module on the opposite side thereof form the deployment seat of the trim cover and has a connection to the other panel. The flexible sheet is foldable about the junction in opposite directions and the flap is foldable in opposite directions so as to be usable for both left and right hand embodiments of the air bag assembly.

The vehicle seat side air bag assembly as disclosed has the flexible sheet made from a synthetic resin and includes stitching that embodies the connection of the opposite distal ends of the pair of panels of the flexible sheet to each other.

The vehicle seat side air bag assembly as disclosed has the distal end of the other panel including a tab that is folded around the distal end of the one panel and at which the stitching embodies the connection of the distal ends of the pair of panels to each other.

The vehicle seat side air bag assembly as disclosed has the air bag module including threaded studs that mount the air bag module on the frame of the seat and that also provide the connection of the flap of the one panel to the other panel.

The vehicle seat side air bag assembly as disclosed includes stitching that embodies the connection of the opposite distal ends of the pair of panels of the flexible sheet to each other, and the air bag module includes threaded studs that mount the air bag module on the frame of the seat and that also embody the connection of the flap of the one panel to the other panel.

Also, the flap of the one panel and the other panel have holes that are aligned to receive the threaded studs upon mounting of the air bag module on the frame. Furthermore, the one panel has holes that are aligned with the holes of the other panel upon folding of the flexible sheet at the junction.

The vehicle seat air bag assembly as disclosed is mounted within a vehicle seat back of a vehicle seat on a frame of the vehicle seat back.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

With reference toFIG. 1of the drawings, a vehicle seat generally indicated by10includes a seat bottom12for mounting on a vehicle floor and a seat back14mounted in a generally upstanding manner on the seat bottom with its angular position controlled in a conventional manner by a recliner generally indicated by16. The seat back component14includes a side air bag assembly17that is constructed in accordance with the present invention and includes a side air bag module18operable to provide seat occupant protection as is hereinafter more fully described. While the side air bag module18is shown on the seat back14, which is a usage for which it has particular utility, it is also possible for the side air bag module to be utilized with a seat bottom12even though the seat back usage is specifically disclosed. Also, as illustrated, the side air bag module18is located at an outboard lateral side or extremity of the seat to provide protection against adjacent vehicle structure, but it is also possible to have the side air bag module located at the inboard lateral side to provide protection against an adjacent vehicle occupant and to also have side air bag modules at both outboard and inboard locations for protection in both lateral directions. As shown inFIG. 2, the seat back14includes a back panel20that is conventionally molded from plastic and also includes a front cushion22against which the seat occupant leans to provide back support and in which the side air bag module18is located.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the seat back component14includes a frame collectively identified by24and having a pair of frame members26(only one shown) at its opposite lateral sides. A foam pad28is mounted on the frame24in any conventional manner and has opposite side extremities30(only one shown) spaced laterally from each other at the opposite lateral sides of the seat. A trim cover generally indicated by32extends over the foam pad28and includes an air bag deployment or release seam34adjacent the shown side extremity30of the foam pad which corresponds to an outboard location. The deployment seam34includes stitching35of trim cover portions to each other.

The side air bag module18is located within the trim cover32mounted on the frame24, specifically by a threaded connection36on the one side frame member26adjacent the air bag release seam34but in an inwardly spaced relationship from the release seam. The air bag module18includes an inflator38and a schematically illustrated air bag40which may be folded or rolled, and upon deployment, the air bag is inflated by the inflator and projected outwardly from the seat component through the air bag deployment seam34of the trim cover32that may be made of cloth, vinyl or leather, etc. The threaded connection36includes a pair of threaded studs41(shown inFIG. 6) each of which extends through the frame24as shown in3and receives an associated nut42on the opposite side of the frame to provide the mounting of the air bag module18.

As shown inFIG. 3, the side air bag assembly17includes an air bag guide44that is fabricated from a flexible sheet46as is hereinafter more fully described. More specifically, the air bag guide44after completion of its fabrication has an inner extremity48that receives the air bag module18and has an outer extremity50located toward the deployment seam34of the trim cover32so the air bag upon inflation moves to and through the deployment seam of the trim cover in order to provide occupant protection.

The flexible sheet46shown inFIG. 4is made from a synthetic resin such as a thermoplastic polyolefin. The flexible sheet includes a pair of panels52and54having respective adjacent ends56and58including a junction60. Furthermore, the flexible sheet46includes a pair of opposite distal ends62and64such that the flexible sheet when planar as shown inFIG. 4defines an elongated shape. Upon fabrication, the flexible sheet46is folded at the junction60and, as shown inFIG. 6, includes a connection66that secures the opposite distal ends to each other. The one panel52includes a flap68that is folded around the air bag module on the opposite side thereof from the deployment seam34of the trim cover32and has a connection70to the other panel54.

As shown inFIGS. 5aand5b, the flexible sheet46is foldable about the junction60in opposite directions and the flap68is also foldable in opposite directions so the folded sheet is usable for both left and right hand embodiments of the air bag assembly. More specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 5a, the panel54is foldable upwardly over the top of the panel52and the flap68is then folded over the panel54to provide the inner extremity of the air bag guide. As illustrated inFIG. 5b, the panel54is foldable under the panel52and the flap68is then folded under the panel54to provide the inner extremity of the air bag guide.

As shown inFIG. 6, the air bag guide64includes stitching72that embodies the connection66of the distal ends of the pair of panels of the flexible sheet to each other. More specifically, the distal end64of the other panel54includes a tab74that is folded around the distal end62of the one panel52and at which the stitching72embodies the connection66of the distal ends of the pair of panels to each other. This tab74as disclosed is foldable in opposite directions like the panels52and54and the flap68so as to extend around the distal end of the panel52in order to provide both the left and right hand embodiments of the air bag guide.

As shown inFIGS. 4,5aand5b, the flap68of the one panel52includes a pair of holes76and the other panel54includes a pair of holes78that are aligned with the holes76after the folding described above so as to receive the threaded studs41(FIGS. 3 and 6) that embody the connection70upon mounting of the air bag module on the frame. Furthermore, the one panel52includes a pair of holes80that are aligned with the holes78of the other panel54upon folding in order to provide folding about the junction60at the design location so that the flap holes76will align with the holes78after the flap74has been stitched to provide the connection66shown inFIG. 6.

After its folding fabrication as shown inFIG. 6, the air bag guide46has openings82and84at the ends of the flap68, through which control wires can extend to the air bag module18to initiate its actuation for inflation of its air bag.