Patent Publication Number: US-11377062-B2

Title: Seat airbag for vehicle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0066226, filed Jun. 4, 2019, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a seat airbag for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a seat airbag provided in a seat of the vehicle and configured to deploy sideward of a vehicle occupant while simultaneously protecting the head, chest, and pelvis of the occupant. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     In general, autonomous vehicles are designed to include freely rotatable seats whereby vehicle occupants in front seats and rear seats are able to face each other. However, such a configuration increase a risk that an airbag which protects a vehicle occupant against collisions by restraining the occupant in a fixed position may not be able to perform such a function properly. 
     Therefore, for an autonomous vehicle, an airbag needs to be installed in a seat itself to sufficiently protect the vehicle occupant. It is also required that this airbag is used in a general vehicle other than the autonomous vehicle to reduce the number of airbags provided at various positions, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and more effectively protecting the occupant by restraining the occupant directly in the seat. 
     The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a seat airbag for a vehicle that is installed in a seat of the vehicle and configured to deploy sideward of a vehicle occupant while simultaneously protecting the head, chest, and pelvis of the occupant. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a seat airbag for a vehicle installed in a side part of a seat back and an airbag cushion of the seat airbag may be deployed forward, and a front portion of the cushion may be divided into a head chamber disposed at an upper location, a chest chamber disposed at a central location and a pelvis chamber disposed at a lower location. The airbag may include: a first tether disposed at an inner side of the cushion facing a vehicle occupant, and having a first end connected to a gas injection portion of the side part of the seat back and a second end connected to the chest chamber; a second tether disposed at the inner side of the cushion, and having a first end connected to the second end of the first tether and a second end connected to the head chamber; a third tether disposed at an outer side of the cushion opposite the occupant, and having a first end connected to the second end of the second tether and a second end connected to the pelvis chamber; and a fourth tether disposed at the inner side of the cushion, and having a first end connected to the second end of the third tether and a second end connected to the chest chamber. 
     The first, second, third, and fourth tethers may be integrally formed into a single string, and the second end of the first tether may pass through a first aperture of the chest chamber, the second end of the second tether passes through a second aperture of the head chamber, and the second end of the third tether passes through a third aperture of the pelvis chamber. The second end of the fourth tether may be fixed to a lower end of the chest chamber. 
     The fourth tether may be disposed at the inner side of the cushion, and the fourth tether may have the first end connected to the second end of the third tether, and the second end connected to a point between the first and the second end of the first tether. The second end of the first tether may be connected to a front upper end of the chest chamber. The chest chamber may include a chest dead zone disposed in an upper portion thereof in a recess shape recessed toward a center thereof, and thus, upon airbag deployment, the chest chamber may be pulled by the first tether and a front portion of the chest chamber may be bent toward an occupant&#39;s chest with respect to the chest dead zone. 
     The airbag may further include a fifth tether disposed at the inner side of the cushion facing the occupant, and having a first end connected to the second end of the fourth tether and a second end connected to the gas injection portion of the side part of the seat back. The first end of the first tether may be connected to the gas injection portion at a position above the second end of the fifth tether. The first end of the first tether and the second end of the fifth tether may be fixed to the cushion, an inflator, or a seat back frame. The second end of the first tether may be connected to a front upper end of the chest chamber, and the second end of the fourth tether may be connected to a lower end of the chest chamber. 
     The first tether to the fifth tether may be formed into a string shape in which the first and second ends thereof are connected to each other, and the second end of the first tether may pass through a first aperture of the chest chamber, the second end of the second tether may pass through a second aperture of the head chamber, the second end of the third tether may pass through a third aperture of the pelvis chamber, and the second end of the fourth tether may pass through a fourth aperture of the chest chamber. 
     The second end of the first tether and the second end of the fifth tether may be connected to each other while passing through a fifth aperture formed in the gas injection portion. The first end of the first tether may be fixed to an upper point of a seat back frame. The chest chamber may include a front auxiliary chamber disposed in a front portion thereof and divided from the chest chamber by a front dead zone, and the second end of the first tether may be connected to the front auxiliary chamber. 
     The head chamber may include an upper auxiliary chamber disposed in an upper portion thereof and defined from the head chamber by an upper dead zone, and the second end of the second tether may be connected to the upper auxiliary chamber. The chest chamber may include an extension chamber disposed in a front portion thereof and extending to be bent upward, and the second end of the first tether may be connected to the extension chamber. The chest chamber may include a guide panel disposed at an inner side thereof facing the occupant, and the first tether may extend through a space between the chest chamber and the guide panel whereby the first tether may come into close or abutting contact with the chest chamber. All of the first tether to the fourth tether may be made of a stretchable material, or at least one of the tethers may be partially made of the stretchable material. 
     According to the seat airbag for a vehicle according to the present invention, the airbag may be installed in a seat of the vehicle and may be deployed sideward of a vehicle occupant while simultaneously protecting the head, chest, and pelvis of the occupant. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objectives, features, and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are views showing a seat airbag for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 3 to 11  are views showing a seat airbag for a vehicle according to other exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, combustion, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     Unless specifically stated or obvious from context, as used herein, the term “about” is understood as within a range of normal tolerance in the art, for example within 2 standard deviations of the mean. “About” can be understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless otherwise clear from the context, all numerical values provided herein are modified by the term “about.” 
     Hereinbelow, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals will refer to the same or like parts. 
     The seat airbag for a vehicle according to the present invention may be installed in a side part of a seat back and an airbag cushion  100  thereof may be deployed forward, and a front portion of the cushion  100  may be divided into a head chamber  140  disposed at an upper location, a chest chamber  160  disposed at a central location, and a pelvis chamber  180  disposed at a lower location. The upper location, central location, and lower location are relative to each other. In other words, the upper location may refer to an uppermost region of the cushion and the lower location may refer to a lowermost region of the cushion while the central location is disposed therebetween. 
     In particular, airbag may include: a first tether T 1  disposed at an inner side of the cushion  100  facing a vehicle occupant, and having a first end connected to a gas injection portion  120  of the side part of the seat back and a second end connected to the chest chamber  160 ; a second tether T 2  disposed at the inner side of the cushion  100 , and having a first end connected to the second end of the first tether T 1  and a second end connected to the head chamber  140 ; a third tether T 3  disposed at an outer side of the cushion  100  opposite the occupant, and having a first end connected to the second end of the second tether T 2  and a second end connected to the pelvis chamber  180 ; and a fourth tether T 4  disposed at the inner side of the cushion  100 , and having a first end connected to the second end of the third tether T 3  and a second end connected to the chest chamber  160 . 
     The airbag according to the present invention is effective for an autonomous vehicle in which the seats are freely rotatable, and even for a general vehicle, is efficient by preventing a large number of airbags from being necessary. Furthermore, the airbag according to the present invention protects the occupant while wrapping around the occupant from a seat and thus is more efficient for occupant protection. 
     In particular, the airbag according to the present invention may be installed in a seat back frame F, and the cushion  100  may be deployed forward from the side part of the seat back through an inflator. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the cushion  100  is configured such that a deployment part has one volume while a front portion may be divided into three chambers. The chambers include the head chamber  140  disposed at the upper location, the chest chamber  160  disposed at the central location, and the pelvis chamber  180  disposed at the lower location. 
     The head chamber  140  protects an occupant&#39;s head, the chest chamber  160  protects an occupant&#39;s chest, and the pelvis chamber  180  restrains an occupant&#39;s pelvis. In particular, the chest chamber  160  may have a shape bent to wrap around the front of the chest of the occupant. Accordingly, even when the chest chamber  160  is deployed forward upon deployment, the chest chamber  160  is required to be bent during deployment into a shape bent toward the occupant as shown in  FIG. 2 . Thus, the present invention employs multiple tethers that allow the chest chamber  160  to be bent toward the occupant&#39;s chest, and provide tension forces that the head chamber  140  and the pelvis chamber  180  use to support and restrain the occupant&#39;s head and pelvis on the side of the occupant. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show the same exemplary embodiment, in which  FIG. 1  is a plan view showing the cushion in an unfolded state and  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the cushion in a deployed state. In  FIG. 1 , multiple tethers are shown, and the actual length of each of the tethers is shorter than that shown in  FIG. 1 . When a short tether is used, each of the chambers is deformed as shown in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 1 , a long tether is shown for the sake of understanding. 
     In  FIG. 1 , the first tether T 1  to the fifth tether T 5  are all shown. In particular, the first tether T 1  may be disposed at the inner side of the cushion  100  facing the occupant and comes into contact with the occupant. The first tether T 1  may have the first end connected to the gas injection portion  120  of the side part of the seat back and the second end connected to the chest chamber  160 . Accordingly, when the cushion  100  is deployed, the first tether T 1  pulls the chest chamber  160  toward the occupant as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The second tether T 2  may also be disposed at the inner side of the cushion and may have the first end connected to the second end of the first tether T 1  and the second end connected to the head chamber  140  to support the head chamber  140 . Furthermore, the third tether T 3  may be disposed at the outer side of the cushion  100  opposite to the occupant and may have the first end connected to the second end of the second tether T 2  and the second end connected to the pelvis chamber  180 . Therefore, the third tether T 3  does not come into contact with (e.g., remains spaced apart from) the occupant and allows the head chamber  140 , the chest chamber  160 , and the pelvis chamber  180  to be gathered together to support each other in a vertical direction. 
     Furthermore, the fourth tether T 4  may be disposed at the inner side of the cushion  100  and may have the first end connected to the second end of the third tether T 3  and the second end connected to the chest chamber  160  to pull the chest chamber  160  toward the occupant together with the first tether T 1 . The fifth tether T 5  may be disposed at the inner side of the cushion  100  opposite to the occupant and may have the first end connected to the second end of the fourth tether T 4  and the second end connected to the gas injection portion  120  of the side part of the seat back to support the pelvis chamber  180 . 
     Through such a connection relationship between the tethers, the head chamber  140 , the chest chamber  160 , and the pelvis chamber  180  have a shape gathered together as shown in  FIG. 2 , and in particular, the chest chamber  160  has a shape bent toward the occupant&#39;s chest as shown in  FIG. 2 . Therefore, through such shapes and a supporting force of the chambers, an upper body of the occupant seated in a seat may be maintained restrained and prevented from being thrown or thrust forward during a collision, and impact may be absorbed by the cushion. 
     Meanwhile, the first tether T 1 , the second tether T 2 , the third tether T 3 , the fourth tether T 4 , and the fifth tether T 5  may be formed into a string shape (e.g., as a cord) in which the first and second ends thereof are connected to each other. In particular, the second end of the first tether T 1  may pass through a first aperture H 1  of the chest chamber  160 , the second end of the second tether T 2  may pass through a second aperture H 2  of the head chamber  140 , the second end of the third tether T 3  may pass through a third aperture H 3  of the pelvis chamber  180 , and the second end of the fourth tether T 4  may pass through a fourth aperture H 4  of the chest chamber  160 . Through such a connection relationship between the tethers, the tethers share tension forces therebetween and affect each other, and when the occupant is loaded on a first side of the cushion, the tethers on a second side of the cushion are pulled taught and restrain the occupant effectively. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the first end of the first tether T 1  may be connected to the gas injection portion  120  at a position above the second end of the fifth tether T 5 . Accordingly, both upper and lower portions of the chest chamber  160  may be pulled toward the occupant, thereby supporting both upper and lower portions of the occupant&#39;s chest. The first end of the first tether T 1  and the second end of the fifth tether T 5  may be connected to the gas injection portion  120  of the side part of the seat back. The gas injection portion  120  may be the cushion  100 , the inflator, or the seat back frame F. 
     Additionally, the second end of the first tether T 1  may be connected to the front upper end of the chest chamber  160 , and the second end of the fourth tether T 4  may be connected to the lower end of the chest chamber  160 . In other words, the first tether T 1  may be disposed at a position above the fourth tether T 4  and may be connected to the front portion of the chest chamber  160 . Accordingly, upon cushion deployment, the chest chamber  160  may be deployed while the front portion thereof is bent slightly upward by the first tether T 1 . Such a deployed shape prevents a phenomenon in which an occupant&#39;s arm and the chest chamber  160  interfere with each other. In other words, while the chest chamber  160  may be deployed slightly upward to avoid the occupant&#39;s arm upon deployment, the chest chamber  160  may be bent toward the occupant&#39;s chest again after the chest chamber  160  is deployed to some extent, thus restraining the occupant while simultaneously wrapping around the occupant&#39;s chest and arm together. 
     On the other hand,  FIG. 3  shows a seat airbag for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which a second end of a fourth tether T 4  may be fixed to a lower end of a chest chamber  160 . In this exemplary embodiment, as in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 , an effective occupant protection during a collision may be ensured. In an exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 4 , a fourth tether T 4  may be disposed at an inner side of an airbag cushion  100  and may have a first end connected to a second end of a third tether T 3  and a second end connected to a point between a first end and second end of a first tether T 1 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 5 , a first end of a first tether T 1  may be fixed to an upper point of a seat back frame F. In this exemplary embodiment, it may be possible that a chest chamber  160  is guided to be more actively deployed upward when the chest chamber  160  is deployed and a first tether T 1  may restrain an occupant&#39;s shoulder as well. In another exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 6 , a second end of a first tether T 1  and a second end of a fifth tether T 5  may be connected to each other while passing through a fifth aperture H 5  formed in a gas injection portion  120 , thus forming a ring or ribbon shape connected to each other rather than a single string or cord. Accordingly, tension forces of remaining tethers more actively affect each other. 
     Meanwhile, the chest chamber  160  may include a chest dead zone D 1  provided in an upper portion thereof in a recess shape recessed toward a center thereof. Therefore, upon airbag deployment, the chest chamber  160  may be pulled by the first tether T 1  and a front portion of the chest chamber  160  may be bent toward the occupant&#39;s chest with respect to the chest dead zone D 1 . In other words, the chest dead zone D 1  makes it possible that a point at which the chest chamber  160  is bent toward the occupant may be set in advance and also the chest chamber  160  is more actively bent. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 7 , a chest chamber  160  may include a front auxiliary chamber  142  provided in a front portion thereof and divided from the chest chamber  160  by a front dead zone D 4 , and a second end of a first tether T 1  may be connected to the front auxiliary chamber  142 . Furthermore, a head chamber  140  may include an upper auxiliary chamber  122  provided in an upper portion thereof and defined from the head chamber  140  by an upper dead zone D 5 , and a second end of a second tether T 2  may be connected to the upper auxiliary chamber  122 . Such a configuration makes it possible for the head chamber  140  to further wrap around the occupant&#39;s chest and head and provide more protection. This configuration also reduces the amount of movement of the occupant&#39;s chest and head, thereby restraining the occupant more effectively. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 8 , a chest chamber  160  may include an extension chamber  144  provided in a front portion thereof and extending to be bent upward, and a second end of a first tether T 1  may be connected to the extension chamber  144 . In this exemplary embodiment, it may also be possible that the chest chamber  160  further extended provides more protection to the occupant&#39;s chest, and at the same time the chest chamber  160  bent upward reduces interference with the occupant&#39;s arm, and the extension chamber  144  wraps around the occupant&#39;s shoulder to restrain the occupant more effectively. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, referring to  FIG. 9 , a chest chamber  160  may include a guide panel G provided at an inner side thereof facing the occupant, and a first tether T 1  may extend through a space between the chest chamber  160  and the guide panel G whereby the first tether T 1  comes into close or abutting contact with the chest chamber  160 . This prevents the first tether T 1  from unintentionally pushing the occupant but enables the first tether T 1  coming into close contact with the chest chamber  160  to effectively transmit a required tension force without pushing the occupant. The fifth tether T 5  may have the same configuration as described above. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the first tether T 1 , the second tether T 2 , the third tether T 3 , and fourth tether T 4  may be entirely made of a stretchable material, or at least one of the tethers may be partially made of a stretchable material. In other words, all of the tethers may be entirely made of a stretchable material such as elastic rubber, silicone, or the like. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9 , only a portion T 2 ′ of the second tether T 2  may be made of a stretchable material. The use of such a material allows the tethers to shrink and wrap around the occupant in more close contact therewith after cushion deployment, thereby providing more protection to the occupant. 
       FIG. 10  is a view showing a state in which the airbag according to the present invention is mounted in a seat of a vehicle. Herein, the airbag according to the present invention may be installed in each of left and right sides of a seat. Furthermore, the respective first tethers T 1  may be connected to each other to be stretched across the back of a headrest upon airbag deployment and thus, the left and right airbags may be mutually supported against each other. 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 11  shows a seat airbag for a vehicle according to still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, a first tether T 1  may pass through a dead zone D 2  and may be fixed to another frame T 1 ′ of a seat, thereby making it possible to prevent the tethers from being unintentionally caught by the seat or occupant upon airbag deployment. In addition, an extension portion  160 ′ extends from a front portion of a cushion and thus, the extension portion  160 ′ may pass through a space between a seat belt and an occupant&#39;s neck in a relaxed posture of the seat, thereby preventing the occupant&#39;s neck from being injured. 
     According to the seat airbag for a vehicle according to the present invention, the airbag may be installed in a seat of the vehicle and may deploy sideward of a vehicle occupant while simultaneously protecting the head, chest, and pelvis of the occupant. 
     Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.