Seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus

Abstract: A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus which can reduce costs, and can be assembled with improved workability. The air bag apparatus (14), which extends in the longitudinal direction of a seat back, is disposed in a side portion (12A) provided on the outer side of the seat back (12) in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. An air bag (32) of the air bag apparatus is folded and the folded air bag is integrated with a seat back pad (48) during a foaming process, and is fixed to a seat back frame (18) together with other structural components of the air bag apparatus. When the seat back pad is made by foaming, the air bag in the folded state is placed within a molding die, and a foaming material is foamed to obtain the seat back pad integrated with the air bag.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention: The present invention relates to a seat structure having an air bag apparatus for countering a side impact (hereinafter referred to as a "side impact air bag apparatus"), and more particularly to a seat structure which has a side impact air bag apparatus at a side portion of a seat back facing a door. Description of the Related Art: JP-A-07 215 159 discloses a vehicular air bag device wherein the air bag, at the time a side collision occurs, develops expansively toward the side of the vehicle body through an opening which opens to the side of the vehicle body. The air bag is actively guided to the side of the occupant by means of a wall part projecting from the side wall of the vehicle body. In this way, the air bag develops reliably to the side of the occupant relative to his seated position. WO-A-96 07 563 describes an inflatable safety restraint arrangement for protection of a vehicle occupant from crash forces in case of a side impact. The arrangement comprises an inflatable cushion which in the deflated state is folded and mounted in a flexible pocket and is fixedly attached to the vehicle at at least two spaced positions. The flexible pocket comprises a line of weakness such as a tear seam along which the pocket opens when subjected to forces generated during inflation of the cushion and through which line of weakness the inflating cushion deploys to a position between the vehicle occupant and the adjacent vehicle surface when a crash situation is detected. The flexible pocket is preferably made of fabric and the tear seam comprises stitched seam whose stitches break or unravel when the airbag cushion is deployed. The airbag cushion may be mounted either in the vehicle seat or in the roof or in a structural side beam of the vehicle. If the airbag cushion is mounted in the vehicle seat it is preferably enclosed within the seat cover so as to follow the contours of the seat and provide an unobtrusive fitment. Further, a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus has been conventionally known, and an example of such a seat structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 4-356246. As shown in FIG. 10, in the seat structure disclosed in the patent publication, an air bag 94 of an air bag apparatus 92 is provided at a side of a seat back 90 such that the air bag 94 deploys toward the front of the vehicle between an unillustrated door and an occupant. Since the opening of an air bag lid 96 is restricted by unillustrated guide means, it is possible to force the air bag 94 to deploy toward the occupant. In the conventional seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus, since the air bag lid 96 forms a part of a side design surface 90A of the seat back 90, the air bag lid 96 must have a shape that conforms the design surface 90A. Therefore, the air bag apparatus 92 including the air bag lid 96 must be custom designed for each vehicle model, resulting in considerably increased cost. In order to solve this problem, the air bag apparatus 92 including the air bag lid 96 may be designed to be commonly usable among various vehicle models, and a seat-shape-forming chip urethane or the like may be disposed on the outer side of the air bag lid 96. In this case, the chip urethane or the like may be manufactured for each vehicle model to have a shape corresponding to the side design surface 90A of the seat back 90. However, in this case, assembly workability becomes degraded. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus which can reduce costs, and can be assembled with improved workability. a seat structure comprising a side impact air bag apparatus, which includes an air bag, a seat back frame, said side impact air bag apparatus being fixed to a window-side side portion of said seat back frame, a lining member disposed so as to overlie at least a portion of said air bag apparatus, a seat pad body disposed so as to cover said seat back frame and said side impact air bag apparatus, said side impact air bag apparatus being provided proximate an inner surface of said seat pad body, said seat pad body being formed from a foaming material which penetrates into said lining member, whereby said lining member is fixed to said seat pad body, and at least one of said lining member and said seat pad body being provided with a rupturing portion from which deployment of said air bag of said side impact air bag apparatus starts, and a side portion end of said lining member which has been fixed to said seat pad body being structured so as to be connectable to said seat back frame by way of an engaging structure, and a seat surface layer which covers an outer surface of said seat pad body. Therefore, the lining member provided at the back of the seat pad body protects the air bag in the folded state and guides the air bag to a predetermined deployment direction when the air bag deploys. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first aspect, the lining member is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabric cloth and felt, or a like material. Since the lining member has conventionally been used to prevent the seat pad body from being ruptured by a seat spring or the like, the seat structure of the present aspect can easily be manufactured using a conventional method of manufacture. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first aspect, the side portion end of the lining member is extended further than is the side portion end of the seat pad body, and is engaged with the seat-side structure through use of an engagement member. Since the assembly can be carried out by engaging the engagement member, which is attached to the side portion end of the lining member, with the seat-side structure, the assembly can be performed with improved workability. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first aspect, an air bag protecting member is interposed between the air bag and the seat back frame and is fixed to the seat-side structure. Therefore, the air bag protecting member prevents the air bag from being damaged by burrs of the seat back frame. Further, the air bag protecting member remains on the seat side when the air bag deploys. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with FIGS. 5-9 of the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. For better explaining the invention, arrangements which can be combined with the present invention will be described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings. These arrangements do, however, not form part of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat, as viewed from the front side of the seat at an angle, to which a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a first arrangement is applied; FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a sectional view, corresponding to the sectional view of FIG. 2, which shows a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a second arrangement; FIG. 4 is a sectional view, corresponding to the sectional view of FIG. 2, which shows a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a third arrangement; FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view showing a side portion of a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the seat pad body of the seat structure shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the side portion end of the lining member of the seat structure shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 8 is an explanatory illustration used for explaining the operation of the side impact air bag apparatus in the seat structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification regarding the side portion end of the lining member of the seat structure shown in FIG. 5; and FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH CAN BE COMBINED WITH THE PRESENT INVENTION A first arrangement will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, in a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus, a side impact air bag apparatus 14 is disposed within a seat back 12 of a seat 10. More specifically, the air bag apparatus 14 is disposed within a side portion 12A formed on the outer side of the seat back 12 in the widthwise direction of the vehicle (in the direction of arrow WD) such that the air bag apparatus 14 extends in the longitudinal direction of a seat back 12 (i.e., in the vertical direction). As shown in FIG. 2, within the side portion 12A of the seat back 12, a tube-shaped side frame 18, which forms part of a seat back frame, is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the seat back 12. A seat bracket 20 is welded to the peripheral surface 18A of the side frame 18. In the seat bracket 20 are formed two through-holes 22 with a predetermined spacing therebetween along the longitudinal direction of the seat back 12 for attachment of the air bag apparatus 14. Stud bolts 26 are inserted into the through-holes 22 from the outer back side of the seat back 12 in the widthwise direction (in the direction of arrow WD). The stud bolts 26 are caulked around through-holes 30 formed in a diffusing plate 28 of the air bag apparatus 14, in the outer peripheral surface of the diffusing plate 28. Although not illustrated in the drawings, the diffusing plate 28 has a tubular shape at its central portion in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction). The tubular portion of the diffusing plate 28 is caulked around and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical gas inflator 24 which is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the seat back 12. The diffusing plate 28 has a substantially semicircular cross section at positions excepting the central portion thereof. Accordingly, when gas is jetted outward from the outer circumferential surface of the gas inflator 24 in the radial direction, part of the gas jetted toward the interior of the seat back 12 is forced by the diffusing plate 28 to flow toward the outer side of the seat back 12, i.e., toward the air bag 32. Between the diffusing plate 28 and the seat bracket 20 are held the opening edge portions 32A and 32B of the air bag 32. A reinforcing cloth 34 is interposed between the opening edge portions 32A and 32B, and a reinforcing cloth 36 is interposed between the opening edge portion 32B and the seat bracket 20. The reinforcing cloth 34 is sewed to the outer face of the opening edge portion 32A, while the reinforcing cloth 36 is sewed to the outer face of the opening edge portion 32B. With this structure, the opening edge portions 32A and 32B of the air bag 32 are sealed, so that gas is prevented from leaking through the sealed portion. The opening edge portions 32A and 32B of the air bag 32 and the reinforcing clothes 34 and 36 respectively have through holes through which the stud bolts 26 passes. The air bag 32 is folded, and the outermost face 32C of the folded air bag 32 forms a part of a design surface 48A of a seat back side-portion of a seat back pad 48. In the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first arrangement, the air bag 32 in a folded and compressed state is placed in a molding die, and a foaming material is then foamed in the molding die so as to obtain the seat back pad 48. Subsequently, the opening edge portions 32A and 32B of the air bag 32 are separated from each other to open the air bag 32, and the gas inflator 24 and the diffusing plate 28 previously integrated together are inserted into the opening of the air bag 32. Subsequently, the opening edge portion 32A of the air bag 32, the reinforcing cloth 34, the opening edge portion 32B of the air bag 32, and the reinforcing cloth 36 are superposed in this order on the diffusing plate 28, such that the two stud bolts 26 pass through their through-holes. The stud bolts 26 are then passed through the through-holes 22 of the seat bracket 20, and nuts 27 are screwed onto the stud bolts 26 so as to fix the gas inflator 24 and the air bag 32 to the seat bracket 20. Next, the operation of the air bag apparatus 14 in the first arrangement will be described. When the gas inflator 24 of the air bag apparatus 14 is operated upon occurrence of a side crash, gas is jetted from the gas inflator 24. Gas is jetted outward from the outer circumferential surface of the gas inflator 24 in the radial direction. At this time, the portion of the gas jetted toward the interior of the seat back 12 is forced by the diffusing plate 28 to flow toward the air bag 32. Accordingly, the gas is effectively fed into the air bag 32, so that the air bag 32 deploys and expands instantaneously. Due to the force produced by the deployment and expansion of the air bag 32, the air bag 32 separates from the seat back pad 48 and completely expands so as to be situated on a side of a vehicle occupant. As described above, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first arrangement, when the seat back pad 48 is made through foaming, the air bag 32, which has been folded and compressed, is placed in a molding die, and a foaming material is then foamed in the molding die so as to obtain the seat back pad 48 with which the air bag 32 is integrated. Therefore, an air bag case having an air bag cover can be omitted. This greatly decreases costs and improves the assembly workability. In the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the first arrangement, the outermost face 32C of the folded air bag 32 forms a part of the design surface 48A of the seat back side-portion of the seat back pad 48. Accordingly, the depth L of the space occupied by the folded air bag 32 from the seat back design surface 48A can be reduced. Next, a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a second arrangement will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The members identical to those of the first arrangement are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 3, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the second arrangement, the air bag 32 is disposed inside the seat back pad 48 in a folded state, and the outermost face 32C of the air bag 32 is covered by the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48. So, the side portion 48B forms a design surface. Accordingly, the air bag 32 deploys while rupturing the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48. Although the air bag 32 is fixed to the seat back pad 48 through permeation of the foaming material into the air bag 32, such fixation to the seat back pad 48 at some portions of the air bag 32 hinders deployment of the air bag 32 if such fixation is performed to an excessive degree. Therefore, when the seat back pad 48 is made by foaming, a mold release agent serving as means for preventing permeation of a foaming material is applied to portions of the air bag 32 which would hinder deployment of the air bag. In this arrangement, a mold release agent is applied to the front-side end surface portion 32D which extends in the longitudinal direction of the seat back 12 and which is situated in a region toward which the air bag 32 deploys. However, the mold release agent is not applied to the opposite longitudinal end surface portions of the folded air bag 32, i.e., the upper and lower end surface portions, which are continued to the upper and lower ends of the front-side end surface portion 32D. Since the foaming material permeates into the opposite longitudinal end surface portions, the air bag 32 can be held in a folded state. Next, the operation of the air bag apparatus 14 in the second arrangement will be described. When the gas inflator 24 of the air bag apparatus 14 is operated upon occurrence of a side crash, gas is jetted from the gas inflator 24. Gas is jetted outward from the outer circumferential surface of the gas inflator 24 in the radial direction. At this time, the portion of the gas jetted toward the interior of the seat back 12 is forced by the diffusing plate 28 to flow toward the air bag 32. Accordingly, the gas is effectively fed into the air bag 32, so that the air bag 32 deploys and expands instantaneously. Due to the force produced by the deployment and expansion of the air bag 32, the air bag 32 ruptures the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 32 while separating from the seat back pad 48, so that the air bag 32 completely expands so as to be situated on a side of a vehicle occupant. As described above, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the second arrangement, when the seat back pad 48 is made through foaming, the air bag 32, which has been folded and compressed, is placed in a molding die, and a foaming material is then foamed in the molding die so as to obtain the seat back pad 48 with which the air bag 32 is integrated. Therefore, an air bag case having an air bag cover can be omitted. This greatly decreases costs and improves the assembly workability. In the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the second arrangement, the folded air bag 32 is disposed inside the seat back pad 48, and outermost face 32C of the folded air bag 32 is covered by the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48, which forms a design surface. Accordingly, the design surfaces of various kinds of seats can be obtained by changing the shape of the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48. Further, since the mold release agent is applied to at least the front-side end surface portion 32D of the air bag 32, it is possible to prevent the foaming material from permeating into the front-side end surface portion 32D, which is considered to hinder deployment of the air bag 32 if it is fixed to the seat back pad 48 to an excessive degree due to permeation of the foaming material. Since the mold release agent is not applied to the opposite longitudinal end surface portions of the folded air bag 32, i.e., the upper and lower end surface portions, which are continued to the upper and lower ends of the front-side end surface portion 32D, the foaming material permeates into the opposite longitudinal end surface portions, so that the air bag 32 can be held in a folded state. In the above-described seat structure, the air bag 32 is stably held in a folded state by allowing the foaming material to permeate into the opposite longitudinal end portions of the folded air bag 32. Alternatively, the air bag 32 may be stably held in the folded state by using an easily breakable restricting means such as thread or a belt, which prevents the air bag 32 from unfolding. Moreover, as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 3, the seat back pad 48 may have an extended portion 48C located between the folded air bag 32 and the side frame 18. In this case, the extended portion 48C prevents the air bag 32 from interfering with the side frame 18 and from uselessly expanding toward the side frame 18. Next, a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a third arrangement will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The members identical to those of the first arrangement are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the third arrangement, the air bag apparatus 14 is provided with an air bag case 64 composed of a lid 60 which opens upon deployment of the air bag 32, and a base 62 fixed to the side frame 18 via the seat bracket 20. The air bag apparatus 14 is integrated with the seat back pad 48 to be located inside the seat back pad 48, and the outer side portion of the lid 60 is covered by the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48. Next, the operation of the air bag apparatus 14 in the third arrangement will be described. When the gas inflator 24 of the air bag apparatus 14 is operated upon occurrence of a side crash, gas is jetted from the gas inflator 24. At this time, gas is jetted outward from the outer circumferential surface of the gas inflator 24 in the radial direction. The portion of the gas jetted toward the interior of the seat back 12 is forced by the diffusing plate 28 to flow toward the air bag 32. Accordingly, the gas is effectively fed into the air bag 32, so that the air bag 32 deploys and expands instantaneously. Due to the force produced by the deployment and expansion of the air bag 32, the lid 60 ruptures and opens the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 32, so that the air bag 32 completely expands so as to be situated on a side of a vehicle occupant. As described above, in the seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to the third arrangement, the lid 60 is covered by the side portion 48B of the seat back pad 48. Therefore, even when the air bag apparatus 14 is commonly used for seat backs 12 of several vehicle models having different seat designs, it becomes unnecessary to use a seat-shape-forming chip urethane which is provided on the outer side of the lid 60 so as to form the design surface 48A. In the above-described first through third arrangements, the outer peripheral portion of the seat back 12 may be covered with a seat surface layer. Moreover, instead of the mold release agent, paper, plastic film, or a like material may be placed on a desired portion of the air bag 32 as the means for preventing permeation of a foaming material. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the following, a seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 - 9. The members identical to those of the first arrangement are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 5, a protector plate 45 is disposed between the folded air bag 32 and the side frame 18 so as to prevent the air bag 32 from been damaged by burrs produced due to welding between the side frame 18 and the bracket 20, and the like. The rear end portion 45A of the protector plate 45 is held between the bracket 20 and the reinforcing cloth 36, and the front end portion 45B thereof reaches a point close to the front end portion 32E of the folded air bag 32. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the seat back pad 48 is made through foaming, a lining member 50 is fixed to the back surface of the seat back pad 48, by taking advantage of permeation of a foaming material. The lining member 50 is formed of a nonwoven fabric cloth or a thin felt. As shown in FIG. 6, the lining member 50 has a perforation at a portion at which deployment of the air bag 32 starts. The side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 is extended further than is the side portion end 48D of the seat pad 48. Further, hog rings 54 each serving as an engagement member are attached to the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 such that the hog rings 54 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 is engaged via the hog rings 54 with a wire 56 serving as a seat-side structure. The upper and lower ends of the wire 56 are fixed to the seat back frame. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer surface of the seat pad 48 is covered by a seat surface layer 70. A front seat surface layer 72 and a side seat surface layer 74 constituting the seat surface layer 70 are sewed together using a sewing thread 78 at a seam 76. The seam 76 is located at a position roughly facing the perforation 52 of the lining member 50. Therefore, the seat surface layer 70 instantaneously ruptures at the seam 76 when the air bag 32 deploys. Next, the operation of the air bag apparatus 14 in the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the gas inflator 24 of the air bag apparatus 14 is operated upon occurrence of a side crash, gas is jetted from the gas inflator 24. At this time, gas is jetted outward from the outer circumferential surface of the gas inflator 24 in the radial direction. The portion of the gas jetted toward the interior of the seat back 12 is forced by the diffusing plate 28 to flow toward the air bag 32. Accordingly, the gas is effectively fed into the air bag 32, so that the air bag 32 deploys and expands instantaneously. At this time, the air bag 32 presses the lining member 50 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5 so as to open the lining member 50. However, since the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 located at the back of the air bag 32 is connected to the wire 56 via the hog rings 54, the lining member 50 start rupturing from the perforation 52, as shown in FIG. 8. Further, the seat surface layer 70 ruptures at the seam 76, so that the seat pad 48 is broken, thereby allowing the air bag 32 to deploy. At this time, the portion 50B of the lining member 50 located behind the perforation 52 guides the air bag 32 so as to deploy it toward the front of the vehicle. In the seat structure having a side impact air bag according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the lining member 50 protects the air bag 32 accommodated in the seat back in the folded state. Therefore, a conventionally used air bag case can be omitted, so that the cost can be decreased, along with the restriction on the appearance of the side portion 12A of the seat back 12. Since nonwoven fabric cloth and felt used to form the lining member 50 are materials which have conventionally been used to prevent the seat back pad 48 from being ruptured by a seat spring or the like, the seat structure can easily be manufactured using a conventional method of manufacture. Since the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 is extended further than is the side portion end 48D of the seat pad 48 and the hog rings 54 are attached to the side portion end 50A, the assembly can be carried out by engaging the hog rings 54, which are attached to the side portion end of the lining member 50, with the wire 56 fixed to the seat frame. Accordingly, the assembly can be performed with improved workability. Since the protector plate 45 is interposed between the air bag 32 and the side frame 18, the protector plate 45 can prevent the air bag 32 from being damaged by burrs of the side frame or the like. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 is connected to the wire 56 via the hog rings 54, as shown in FIG. 7. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 may be connected to the wire 56 via a connector 80 serving as an engagement member which has a U-shaped cross section and extends in the vertical direction. In this case, the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 may be sewed directly to the connector 80 using a sewing thread 82. Moreover, instead of the wire 56, any other seat-side structure may be used as a portion with which the side portion end 50A of the lining member 50 is engaged. While the embodiment of the present invention, as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

Claims: A seat structure comprising: a side impact air bag apparatus (14) having an air bag (32); a seat back frame, the side impact air bag apparatus (14) being fixed to a window-side side portion of said seat back frame; a lining member (50) disposed so as to overlie at least a portion of said air bag apparatus (14); a seat pad body (48) disposed so as to cover said seat back frame and the side impact air bag apparatus (14), the side impact air bag apparatus (14) being provided proximate an inner surface of said seat pad body (48), said seat pad body (48) being formed from a foaming material which penetrates into said lining member (50), whereby said lining member (50) is fixed to said seat pad body (48), and at least one of said lining member (50) and said seat pad body (48) being provided with a rupturing portion from which deployment of the air bag (32) of the side impact air bag apparatus (14) starts, and a side portion end (50A) of the lining member (50) which has been fixed to said seat pad body (48) being structured so as to be connectable to said seat back frame by way of an engaging structure; and a seat surface layer (70) which covers an outer surface of said seat pad body (48). A seat structure according to claim 1, wherein said lining member (50) is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabric cloth and felt. A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 1, wherein a side portion end (50A) of said lining member (50) is extended further than is a side portion end (48D) of said seat pad (48) body, and is engaged with said seat-side structure through use of an engagement member. A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 3, wherein said engagement member is formed by a plurality of hog rings (54) attached to the side portion end (50A) of said lining member (50) such that said hog rings (54) are arranged at predeterminded intervals in the vertical direction. A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 3, wherein said engagement member is formed by a connector (80) which has a U-shaped cross section and extends in the vertical direction, and the side portion end (50A) of said lining member (50) is sewed to said connector (80) using sewing thread (82). A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 1, wherein said seat-side structure is a wire (56) whose upper and lower ends are fixed to said seat back frame. A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 1, wherein an air bag (32) protecting member is disposed between said air bag (32) and said seat back frame and is fixed to said seat-side structure. A seat structure having a side impact air bag apparatus (14) according to claim 1, wherein said seat surface layer (70) includes a front seat surface layer (72) and a side seat surface layer (74) which are sewed together using a sewing thread (82) at a seam (76), which is located at a position roughly facing the perforation of said lining member (50).

Inventors: HIGASHIURA TAKUYA, TSUTSUMI HARUHIKO, HIGASHIURA, TAKUYA, TSUTSUMI, HARUHIKO
Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR CO LTD, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60R21
IPC codes: B60R21