Airbag assembly including retractable tethers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034323-B2
Application number	US-201916589864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 1, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

An assembly includes a seat including a seatback. An airbag is supported by the seatback and is inflatable to an inflated position. A tether is connected to the airbag. A pyrotechnic device is supported by the seat and connected to the tether. As the airbag inflates to the inflated position, the pyrotechnic device pulls the tether to position the airbag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
a seat including a seatback;
an airbag supported by the seatback and inflatable to an inflated position;
a tether connected to the airbag;
a pyrotechnic device supported by the seat, the tether being retractably connected to the pyrotechnic device; and
a tray supported by the seatback between the airbag and the pyrotechnic device.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a joint between the tray and the seatback, wherein the pyrotechnic device is designed to move the tray about the joint.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge between the tray and the seatback, the tray being rotatable about the hinge.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the hinge is a locking hinge.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic device is above the tray and the tray is rotatable upwardly from an extended position to a stowed position.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the pyrotechnic device is positioned to retract the tether upwardly.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tray is moveable between an extended position and a stowed position, the tray in the extended position extending transversely from the seatback.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic device is supported by the seatback above the tray and the airbag is supported by the seatback below the tray.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic device is supported by the seatback.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second tether spaced from the tether, the second tether connected to the airbag and to the pyrotechnic device.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a pulley supported on the seat, the tether and the second tether engaging the pulley between the airbag and the pyrotechnic device.

12. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a computer having a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate the pyrotechnic device after initiation of inflation of the airbag.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to initiate inflation of the airbag.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic device is designed to retract the tether toward the pyrotechnic device.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pyrotechnic device includes a piston or a spool connected to the tether.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is supported by the seatback below the tray, the tray is rotatable upwardly, and the pyrotechnic device is above the tray and is positioned to retract the tether upwardly to rotate the tray upwardly.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Farooq S M Iskander
• Faruque Mohammad Omar
• Jaradi Dean M
• Kalra Anil

Classifications

• B60N3/004

  of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest · CPC title

• B60R2021/23386

  External tether means · CPC title

• B60R21/2338 Primary

  Tethers · CPC title

• B60R21/207 Primary

  in vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60R2021/23153

  specially adapted for rear seat passengers · CPC title