Vehicle seat side airbag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926735-B2
Application number	US-201916373290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2019
Priority date	Apr 2, 2019
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A restraint system includes a seat, a center console spaced from the seat in a cross-vehicle direction, and an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position includes a first leg elongated in the cross-vehicle direction and spaced from the center console. The airbag in the inflated position includes a second leg supported by the seat and elongated from the first leg towards the center console in a direction transverse to the cross-vehicle direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a seat;
a center console spaced from the seat in a cross-vehicle direction; and
an airbag inflatable to an inflated position, the airbag in the inflated position including a first leg elongated in the cross-vehicle direction and spaced from the center console;
the airbag in the inflated position including a second leg supported by the seat and elongated from the first leg towards the center console in a direction transverse to the cross-vehicle direction;
wherein the first leg and the second leg each include a first side and a second side spaced from each other in the cross-vehicle direction, each of the first sides facing the seat;
wherein the first side and the second side of the second leg are disposed between the first side and the second side of the first leg.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second leg bisects the first leg.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising two external tethers spaced from each other in the cross-vehicle direction, each said external tether extending from the first leg to the second leg.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first leg is disposed adjacent a head of an occupant between 5th-percentile female and 95th-percentile male stature sitting in the seat.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first leg and the second leg each include a first depression facing the seat and a second depression facing away from the seat and spaced from the first depression in the cross-vehicle direction.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first depression of the first leg is disposed adjacent a head of an occupant between 5th-percentile female and 95th-percentile male stature sitting in the seat.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first depression of the second leg is disposed adjacent a shoulder of an occupant between 5th-percentile female and 95th-percentile male stature sitting in the seat.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the airbag defines an inflation chamber and includes two internal tethers disposed in the inflation chamber, each said internal tether extending from the first depression to the second depression of the respective leg.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the airbag includes an upper baffle extending across the inflation chamber between the first leg and the second leg and dividing the inflation chamber into an upper inflation chamber and a lower inflation chamber, the upper baffle including at least one vent.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position includes an extension elongated from the second leg in the direction, the extension is disposed between the center console and the seat.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a second extension elongated from the second leg in the direction, the center console disposed between the extension and the second extension.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the extension is disposed adjacent to a hip of an occupant between 5th-percentile female and 95th-percentile male stature sitting in the seat.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the airbag defines an inflation chamber and includes an upper baffle extending across the inflation chamber between the first leg and the second leg and dividing the inflation chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the upper baffle including at least one vent.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the airbag includes a lower baffle extending across the inflation chamber between the second leg and the extension and dividing the inflation chamber into the lower chamber and an extension chamber, the lower baffle including at least one vent.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the extension and the second leg each include a bottom spaced from the first leg in the direction, the bottom of the second leg disposed between the first leg and the bottom of the extension.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the center console includes a top disposed between the bottom of the extension and the bottom of the second leg.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the extension is spaced from the first leg in the direction, the extension and the first leg defining a gap therebetween.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the gap is disposed adjacent to a shoulder of an occupant between 5th-percentile female and 95th-percentile male stature sitting in the seat.

19. A system comprising:
a seat;
a center console spaced from the seat in a cross-vehicle direction;
an airbag inflatable to an inflated position, the airbag in the inflated position including a first leg elongated in the cross-vehicle direction and spaced from the center console;
the airbag in the inflated position including a second leg supported by the seat and elongated from the first leg towards the center console in a direction transverse to the cross-vehicle direction; and
two external tethers spaced from each other in the cross-vehicle direction, each said external tether extending from the first leg to the second leg.

20. A system comprising:
a seat;
a center console spaced from the seat in a cross-vehicle direction; and
an airbag inflatable to an inflated position, the airbag in the inflated position including a first leg elongated in the cross-vehicle direction and spaced from the center console;
the airbag in the inflated position including a second leg supported by the seat and elongated from the first leg towards the center console in a direction transverse to the cross-vehicle direction;
the airbag in the inflated position including an extension elongated from the second leg in the direction, the extension being disposed between the center console and the seat;
the airbag in the inflated position including a second extension elongated from the second leg in the direction, the center console being disposed between the extension and the second extension.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Deng Zhibing
• Abramczyk Joseph Edward
• Patel Deepak

Classifications

• B60R2021/23386

  External tether means · CPC title

• B60R21/2338 Primary

  Tethers · CPC title

• B60R2021/23324

  Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents · CPC title

• B60R2021/23161

  specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other · CPC title

• B60R21/20 Primary

  Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components · CPC title