Abstract:
A seat assembly having a seat structure, a cover, a back panel, and a package plate. The back panel has a lateral wall that covers a receiving space in which a side airbag module is arranged. The package plate is arranged between the lateral wall and the side airbag module. The package plate has a back end that engages the seat structure and a front end disposed opposite the back end that is located within the receiving space. An airbag of the side airbag module is configured to deploy between the front end and the cover and between the cover and a free end of the lateral wall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/996,471, filed Apr. 22, 2008, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,701, which was the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP05/08036, filed Jul. 22, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a seat assembly having a side airbag module. 
     SUMMARY 
     In at least one embodiment a seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly may include a backrest having a seat structure, a cover, a back panel, and a package plate. The back panel has a lateral wall that covers a receiving space in which a side airbag module is arranged. The package plate is arranged between the lateral wall and the side airbag module. The package plate has a back end that fastened to the seat structure and a front end disposed opposite the back end that is located within the receiving space. The front end includes a bracket-like element that engages a clip that extends from an inner surface of the lateral wall toward the side airbag module. An airbag of the side airbag module is configured to deploy between the front end and the cover and between the cover and a free end of the lateral wall. 
     In at least one embodiment a seat assembly is provided. The seat assembly includes a seat structure, a cushion disposed proximate the seat structure, a cover disposed over the cushion, a soft cover side airbag module, a back panel, and a package plate. The soft cover side airbag module is disposed in a receiving space that is disposed adjacent to the seat structure and the cushion. The soft cover side airbag module has an airbag. The back panel has a lateral wall and a clip. The lateral wall covers the receiving space and has a free end and an inner surface that faces toward the side airbag module. The clip is disposed on the inner surface. The package plate is disposed in the receiving space between the lateral wall and the side airbag module. The package plate is spaced apart from the lateral wall and has a back end that engages the seat structure and a front end disposed opposite the back end and that includes a bracket-like element that receives the clip. The airbag is configured to deploy between the front end and the cover and then between the cover and the free end of the lateral wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a lateral view of a seat and, in particular, of a backrest of this seat; 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-section along line II-II for a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  shows an enlarged detail “X” of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a fifth embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a sixth embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a seventh embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for an eighth embodiment; and 
         FIG. 11  shows a cross-section like  FIG. 2  for a ninth embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following the same parts of the seat are notified by the same reference numerals and some of those reference numerals are only mentioned in combination with one figure. 
     In  FIG. 1  a lateral view of a backrest  2  of a seat  1  of a vehicle is illustrated. In this lateral view a side wall  8  of the backrest  2  is visible which is at least partially covered by a lateral wall  6  of back panel  5 . Beneath the lateral wall  6  a receiving space  7  is formed in the side wall  8  of the backrest  2 . Within this receiving space  7  a soft cover side airbag module (SAM)  9  is arranged. Upon activation of the SAM  9  a corresponding airbag will be inflated and will be deployed in deployment direction  11 . Such SAM  9  are arranged in vehicle seats  1  at least on the side of the seats nearest to the corresponding vehicle door. 
     The backrest  2  mainly extends in the longitudinal direction  26  along which direction also the back panel  5  or the lateral wall  6  extend. 
     In  FIG. 2  a first embodiment of the invention corresponding to a cross-section along line II-II of  FIG. 1  is illustrated. 
     Between SAM  9  and an inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6 , a package plate  12  is arranged comprising a first plate portion  16  and a second plate portion  17 . The first plate portion  16  is used for mounting the package plate  12  together with SAM  9  to a seat structure  3 . For this reason the seat structure  3  comprises two stamped-out parts forming a first bracket  21  and a second bracket  22 . The first bracket  21  mainly extends in a direction to lateral wall  6  and inflator means  50  as part of SAM  9  is fixed to this bracket  21  by a bolt  48 /nut  49  connection. The same connection is also used for fixing first plate portion  16  of package plate  12 . The second bracket  22  is used for fastening the package plate  12  at its free end  19  which hook-like element  27  is formed as a plate fastening means  20 . The plate fastening means  20  is part of front end section  15  of the package plate  12  which is formed at the end of the second plate portion  17 , see also the following figures. 
     SAM  9  and package plate  6  are arranged in the receiving space  7  which is closed by lateral wall  6  to the outside wherein a free end  10  of the lateral wall together with an end portion are in contact with an outer surface of a part of cover  4 . This part of cover  4  is arranged at the side wall  8  of the backrest  2  wherein this part is partially introduced in the receiving space  7  and fastened there by corresponding cover fastening means  25 , see the corresponding clip-like element. The cover fastening means  25  are arranged in different levels along longitudinal direction  26  of the backrest  2  compared to corresponding plate fastening means  20 . The corresponding fastening means  20 ,  25  for plate and cover may be alternately arranged along this longitudinal direction  26 . 
     In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2  the lateral wall  6  is in abutment with the package plate  12  and only a first wall portion  30 , see also  FIG. 3 , of front end section  15  is bent inwardly such that the hook-like element  27  is spaced and essentially extends parallel with respect to inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6 . 
     For insertion of hook-like element  27 , a hook-in opening  28  is formed in bracket  22 . 
     It is again noted that cover  4  with its cover free end  44  has generally no opening through which a hook-like element  27  is guided, but that the cover  4  only extends up to its free end  44  within the receiving space  7  where no hook-like elements  27  of the package plate  12  are arranged. 
     The second embodiment according to  FIG. 3  has different plate fastening means  20  at free end  19  of front end section  15 . Moreover, the package plate  12  is arranged in a distance to inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6  such that a free space  18  is formed therebetween. This free space  18  is increasing in direction to free end  10  of lateral wall  6  wherein the distance  42 , see also  FIG. 9 , between outer surface  43  of package plate  12  and inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6  increases. 
     Moreover, according to  FIG. 3 , a mounting plate  23  is arranged between SAM  9  and plate-like element  47  of seat structure  3 . No brackets are stamped out of this plate-like element  47 , see in contrast the embodiments according to  FIGS. 2 and 8 . 
     The inflator means  50  is fixed to the mounting plate  23  by the corresponding bolt  48 /nut  49  connection, wherein simultaneously back end section  14  of package plate  12  is fixed to the mounting plate. 
     In  FIG. 4  detail “X” of  FIG. 3  is illustrated in an enlarged scale. The plate fastening means  20  at the front end section  15  again comprises a hook-like element  27  which is bent in direction to lateral wall  6  with respect to first wall portion  30  of package plate  12 . For connecting hook-like element formed as hook extension  29  of the front end section  15  a protrusion  34  is formed by mounting bracket  23 . This protrusion  34  is a stamped-out part of the mounting plate, see stamp-out opening  46 , and inserted in an opening  33  of the hook-like element  27 . 
     In  FIG. 4  the cover free end  44  ends inside the receiving space  7  but is so short that it ends in front of the corresponding hook extension  29 . As already outlined above, in other levels along longitudinal direction  26  of backrest  2  the cover may extend farther to the inside of the receiving space and at the corresponding free end  44 , cover fastening means  25 , see  FIG. 2 , may be arranged. 
     In  FIG. 5  a third embodiment of the invention is illustrated again using mounting plate  23  and package plate  12 . 
     In this embodiment the front end section  15  of the package plate  12  comprises a first wall portion  30  and a second wall portion  32 . Between the first wall portion  30  and inner surface of the lateral wall  6  an acuate angle  31  is formed, whereas the second wall portion  32  is arranged essentially perpendicular to lateral wall  6 . At the end of this second wall portion  32  a hook-like element  27  as a plate fastening means  20  is formed, which is inserted in a hook-in opening  28  formed in mounting plate  23 . 
     In  FIG. 5  corresponding free end portion  24  of the cover  4  arranged within receiving space  7 , see also  FIG. 3 , is so short that it ends in front of the hook-like element  27 . However, as already said, in other levels along longitudinal direction  26  this free end portion  24  may be longer to allow the arrangement of corresponding cover fastening means  25 . 
     In  FIGS. 6 and 7  a fourth and fifth embodiment of the invention is illustrated. These embodiments are different from the embodiments already illustrated by the corresponding plate fastening means  20 . 
     In  FIG. 6  the plate fastening means  20  is formed by a toggle  37  which has a breaking point  36 . In case the airbag is inflated by inflator means  50 , this breaking point  36  will break, the package plate  12  will be bent outwardly until it contacts the inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6  and thereafter both lateral wall  6  and package plate  12  will be further opened to allow the deployment of the airbag along deployment direction  11 . The toggle  37  is held by an end curvature of the mounting plate  23 . The corresponding breaking point  36  is arranged between toggle  37  and the first wall portion  30  at front end section  15  of package plate  12 . 
     In the fifth embodiment according to  FIG. 7 , the plate fastening means  20  is formed by a rivet  35  connecting second wall portion  32  of front end section  15  and mounting plate  23 . Instead of a rivet  35  also a pin may be used, which is then introduced in a corresponding opening of the mounting plate  23 . 
     All the other features of the embodiments of  FIGS. 6 and 7  are very similar to the other embodiments according to  FIGS. 2 to 5 , such that repetition of these features is avoided. 
     The sixth and seventh embodiments according to  FIGS. 8 and 9  are different from the other embodiments in that the package plate  12  is not fastened to the seat structure  3  or the mounting plate  23  at its front end section  15  but it is fastened to lateral wall  6 . 
     In the sixth embodiment according to  FIG. 8 , SAM  9  is mounted to the corresponding brackets  21  or  22  of seat structure  3 , see also  FIG. 2 . Cover  4  extends into the interior of the receiving space  7  with longer free end portion  24  wherein corresponding cover fastening means is not illustrated, see again  FIG. 2 . 
     Near a free end of package plate  12  in its front end section  15  a hook-like element  38  is formed which is in engagement with a bracket-like element  40  extending from the inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6 . The hook-like element  38  is formed as a stamped-out part, see the stamp-out opening  51  in package plate  12 . 
     In the seventh embodiment according to  FIG. 9 , a corresponding bracket-like element  39  is formed at the package plate  12  and extends from its outer surface  43  in direction to inner surface  13  of lateral wall  6 , wherein a corresponding hook-like element  41  is protruding from the inner surface  13  in direction to the outer surface  43  of package plate  12 . 
     In particular in the embodiments according to  FIGS. 8 and 9  there will be no interference between the plate fastening means  20  and the cover fastening means  25  as they are arranged at different positions within receiving space  7 . 
     Also in the embodiments according to  FIGS. 8 and 9  it is possible to first push package plate  12  to the outside and later the package plate  12  together with lateral wall  6  will be further opened for deployment of the airbag, wherein in all of the embodiments a seat cushion material  45 , like foam or the like, will be prevented from being expelled to the outside of the backrest as the receiving space  7  and in particular SAM  9  are more or less encompassed by package plate  12 , mounting plate  23  and seat structure  3  with corresponding brackets  21  and  22 . Consequently, any inflating airbag will be guided by those parts and, in particular, between cover  4  and front end section  15  or lateral wall  6  near its free end  10  to deploy in deployment direction  11 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show an eighth and a ninth embodiment of the invention with a slightly different seat structure  3 . In both of these embodiments, a first and a second holding part  52 ,  53  is used, which in particular are releasably fixed to the corresponding seat structure  3 . 
     The corresponding package plate  12  is releasably fixed with its back end section  14  or front end section  15  to the corresponding holding part  52 ,  53 . 
     In  FIG. 10 , the package plate, see also  FIG. 11 , extends from the corresponding first holding part  52 , see back end section  14 , to a bending point  54  and thereafter with a section  66  essentially perpendicular to the corresponding bend end section  14 . Along this section  66 , the package plate approaches the inner surface  13  of the lateral wall  6  up to further bending point  55 . From this bending point  55 , the package plate extends under an angle  56  away from the inner surface  13 , wherein the angle is approximately 5° to 30°. This means that the distance between outer surface  59  of the package plate and inner surface  13  of the lateral wall  6  increases in direction to front end section  15  of the package plate  12  where same is releasably fixed to second holding part  53 . 
     A corresponding hook-like element  27  of the package plate  12  for fixing to the second holding part  53  is inserted in a corresponding hook-in opening  28  of this part. 
     The seat structure  3  also comprises a holding part section  63  extending away from first holding part  52  and generally extending essentially parallel to back panel  5 . 
     Back panel  5  comprises a bulging  65  in connection to the sidewall  8  and arranged in the rear of inflator means  50 . This bulging  65  protrudes to the rear from backrest  2 . 
     According to this particular package plate  12  in  FIG. 10  and also in  FIG. 11 , a corresponding space between outer surface  59  of the package plate and inner surface  13  of the lateral wall increases in direction to the front of the backrest, see also  FIG. 3  or  FIGS. 5 to 9 . 
     In  FIG. 11 , package plate  12  is quite similar to  FIG. 10  besides a step in the package plate in the area of hook-like element  41  of the lateral wall  6 , which is in engagement with a bracket-like element  39  of the package plate  12 . 
     The corresponding hook-like element  38  is formed like a clip  60 , see the similar construction in  FIG. 9 . 
     The second holding part  53  is also used for fixing the cover  4 . The cover  4  and  44  comprises cover fastening means  25  in the form of a profiled latch with, for example, three hook-up noses  61  in engagement with corresponding hook-in openings  62  formed in the second holding part  53 . 
     In  FIG. 11 , it is again emphasized that the corresponding section  66  of the package plate  12  between the two bending points  54  and  55  extends essentially perpendicular to the back end section  14 . This back end section  14  is formed as a fixing tongue  58 , which is used for fixing to the first holding part  52 , wherein together with the fixing tongue, also the inflator means  50  is fixed to this holding part. 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.