Patent ID: 8814203

Claim:
A vehicle seat side air bag assembly comprising: a vehicle seat having a frame, a foam pad mounted on the frame, a trim cover that covers the foam pad, a back trim panel that encloses the frame, and the trim cover and trim panel of the seat having a junction that defines a deployment location; an air bag module mounted within the seat and including an inner extremity having a gas generator, a stored air bag in which the gas generator is received, the stored air bag being inflated by the gas generator to move outwardly through the deployment location at the junction of the trim cover and trim panel of the seat to provide vehicle seat occupant protection, and a soft housing in which the gas generator and the stored air bag are both received prior to inflation of the air bag; and a rigid deflector sleeve on the frame and having a U shape that opens toward the deployment location, the rigid deflector sleeve having closed ends, and the inner extremity of the air bag module being received within the U shape of the rigid deflector sleeve whereby the air bag is directed by the rigid deflector sleeve toward the deployment location upon inflation to provide its movement therethrough to provide the seat occupant protection.