Airbag unit for a vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338757-B2
Application number	US-201916973209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Jun 13, 2018
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

There is proposed a vehicle seat configured to support an occupant (401) in a sitting position, the seat comprising: a squab (27), a backrest (28), and an airbag unit. The airbag unit comprises an inflatable bag (1) and an inflator (34). The airbag comprises an inflatable chamber (8, 9; 208). The airbag further comprises an inflatable guide (2), connected to the inflator and the inflatable chamber. Upon actuation of said inflator, said inflatable guide is at least partially inflated before the inflatable chamber, thereby initially urging the inflatable chamber away from the backrest of the seat. The airbag is configured such that after the inflatable guide is at least partially inflated, the inflatable chamber inflates into a deployed position in which it defines an inflated shroud which extends over said sitting position and provides lateral protection to said occupant of the seat in said sitting position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airbag unit for a vehicle seat configured to support an occupant in a sitting position, the vehicle seat including a squab and a backrest, the airbag unit comprising:
an inflatable airbag having a first inlet region and being provided in an initially rolled and/or folded airbag package, and an inflator actuable to direct inflating gas into the airbag via the first inlet region to inflate the airbag into an inflated configuration, the airbag comprising at least one inflatable chamber, which, when inflated into a deployed position, is configured to define an inflated shroud for extending over the sitting position and providing lateral protection to the occupant of the seat in the sitting position;
wherein the airbag further comprises an inflatable guide, connected to the inflator and the inflatable chamber, the airbag being mounted and configured such that, upon actuation of the inflator to inflate the airbag, the inflatable guide is at least partially inflated before the at least one inflatable chamber for initially urging the inflatable chamber away from the backrest of the seat; the airbag being configured such that after the inflatable guide is at least partially inflated, the at least one inflatable chamber is inflated,
wherein the inflatable guide is formed in a lobe of the airbag unit,
wherein the inflatable guide is proximate to the first inlet region, and
wherein the inflatable airbag is rolled and/or folded such that inflating gas reaches the inflatable guide before the at least one inflatable chamber.

2. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein a first inflatable volume of the inflatable guide is smaller than a second inflatable volume of the inflatable chamber.

3. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable guide includes an inflatable volume which has one of a U shape and an elongated O shape.

4. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable guide comprises a first uninflatable region and a second uninflatable region, which are not fluidly connected to the inflator.

5. The airbag unit of claim 4 , wherein the first uninflatable region and the second uninflatable region are spaced apart.

6. The airbag unit according to claim 4 , wherein the first uninflatable region and the second uninflatable region are connected via an interconnecting seam.

7. The airbag unit according to claim 6 , wherein the interconnecting seam and a seam around a periphery of the inflatable airbag define an inflatable volume of the inflatable guide.

8. The airbag unit according to claim 6 , wherein the interconnecting seam and two seams around a periphery of the inflatable airbag define two inflatable volumes of the inflatable guide.

9. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the airbag comprises two inflatable chambers physically connected to one another via a connecting interface and fluidly isolated from one another.

10. The airbag unit of claim 9 , wherein the airbag is one-piece woven, and the connecting interface is defined by a region of the airbag in which yarns of two constituent fabric layers of the airbag are interwoven.

11. The airbag unit of claim 1 in combination with the vehicle seat, wherein the inflatable guide of the airbag unit is provided in an upper portion of the backrest distal to the squab, and is configured, when inflated, to extend over the occupant.

12. The airbag unit of claim 1 in combination with the vehicle seat, wherein the airbag unit is provided in a rearward portion of the backrest, and is configured, when inflated, to extend around the backrest and over the occupant.

13. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is substantially symmetrical about an axis bisecting the inflatable guide.

14. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the lobe extends from an upper portion of the inflatable airbag.

15. The airbag unit of claim 14 , wherein the inflatable airbag further has a second inlet region, the lobe located between the first inlet region and the second inlet region.

16. The airbag unit of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable guide at least partially inflates before each of the at least one inflatable chamber.

17. An inflatable airbag for a vehicle seat, the inflatable airbag comprising:
a plurality of inflatable chambers collectively deployable to an inflated position defining an inflated shroud for protecting an occupant of the vehicle seat;
first and second inlet regions for receiving inflation gases from first and second inflators, respectively; and
an inflatable guide between the first and second inlet regions;
wherein the inflatable guide at least partially inflates before each of the plurality of inflatable chambers,
wherein the inflatable guide is formed in an upwardly extending lobe of the inflatable airbag.

18. The inflatable airbag for a vehicle seat of claim 17 , wherein the inflatable airbag is rolled and/or folded such that inflating gas reaches the inflatable guide before any of the inflatable chambers.

Assignees

• Autoliv Dev

Inventors

• Hagg Mikaela
• Leijer Malin
• Berntsson Mats
• Wikstedt Kevin
• Sandinge Par
• Kjell Fredrik
• Houessou Jules
• Svensson Carl-Johan
• Karlsson Hanna
• Henriksson Ola

Classifications

• B60R21/207 Primary

  in vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60R2021/0048

  Head · CPC title

• B60R2021/2074

  in head rests · CPC title

• B60R21/23138

  specially adapted for side protection (B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2021/23161

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