Vehicle seat side air bag assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10525926-B2
Application number	US-201815864746-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2018
Priority date	Jan 8, 2018
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A seat assembly includes a base. The seat assembly includes an air bag supported by the base. The seat assembly includes a cover adjacent the base. The seat assembly includes a first plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base. The seat assembly includes a second plurality of ribs extending transversely from the base and toward the cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat assembly, comprising:
a base;
an air bag supported by the base;
a cover adjacent the base;
a first plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base; and
a second plurality of ribs engaged with the first plurality of ribs and extending transversely from the base and toward the cover.

2. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a chute, and the second plurality of ribs extend transversely from the chute.

3. The seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein the chute defines a cavity having an open end, and the first plurality of ribs extends from the cover toward the open end and the second plurality of ribs extends from the base away from the open end.

4. The seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein the chute and the second plurality of ribs are monolithic.

5. The seat assembly of claim 2 , wherein the chute includes an outer surface, and the second plurality of ribs extend transversely from the outer surface.

6. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a cushion, and the second plurality of ribs extend transversely from the cushion.

7. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seat back defining a vertical axis, and wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated along the vertical axis.

8. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seat bottom defining a longitudinal axis, and wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated along the longitudinal axis.

9. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air bag is inflatable in an inflation direction to an inflated position, and wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated generally perpendicular to the inflation direction.

10. The seat assembly of claim 1 , where the air bag is inflatable in an inflation direction to an inflated position, and wherein the first plurality of ribs extends from the cover toward the inflation direction and the second plurality of ribs extends from the base away from the inflation direction.

11. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a tear seam, and the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated generally parallel to the tear seam.

12. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a tear seam, and the first plurality of ribs extends from the cover toward the tear seam and the second plurality of ribs extends from the base away from the tear seam.

13. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base, and wherein the cover includes a tear seam between the first plurality of ribs and the third plurality of ribs.

14. The seat assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base, and a fourth plurality of ribs extending transversely from the base and toward the cover, and wherein the air bag is inflatable to an inflated position that is between the first plurality of ribs and the third plurality of ribs and between the second plurality of ribs and the fourth plurality of ribs.

15. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs extend in opposite directions.

16. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes an inner surface, and the first plurality of ribs extends from the inner surface.

17. The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated parallel to each other.

18. A seat assembly, comprising:
a base;
an air bag supported by the base;
a cover adjacent the base;
a first plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base;
a second plurality of ribs extending transversely from the base and toward the cover; and
a seat bottom defining a longitudinal axis;
wherein the first plurality of ribs and the second plurality of ribs are elongated along the longitudinal axis.

19. A seat assembly, comprising:
a base;
an air bag supported by the base;
a cover adjacent the base;
a first plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base;
a second plurality of ribs extending transversely from the base and toward the cover; and
a third plurality of ribs extending transversely from the cover and toward the base;
wherein the cover includes a tear seam between the first plurality of ribs and the third plurality of ribs.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Veggian Eric D
• Spahn Brian Robert

Classifications

• B60N2002/5808

  comprising opening zones for airbags · CPC title

• B60N2/68

  Seat frames · CPC title

• B60N2/00

  Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles (railway seats B61D33/00; cycle seats B62J1/00; aircraft seats B64D11/06, B64D25/04, B64D25/10) · CPC title

• B60R21/2165

  characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening · CPC title

• B60R21/207 Primary

  in vehicle seats · CPC title