Seat assembly with full seatback airbag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364870-B2
Application number	US-202117224238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2021
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A seatback carrier module includes first and second side portions spaced-apart from one another and interconnected by an upper portion. A cradle portion is disposed along the first and second side portions and the upper portion of the seatback carrier module. The cradle portion includes inner and outer edges with a rearwardly extending body portion. A mounting portion is disposed along a portion of the inner edge of the cradle portion. The mounting portion includes inner and outer edges with a body portion disposed therebetween. The mounting portion further includes a rearwardly extending sidewall disposed along the inner edge of the mounting portion. An airbag assembly is received within the cradle portion and has an inverted U-shaped configuration to substantially surround the outer perimeter of the seatback frame. The airbag assembly is an elongate member defining an overhead airbag assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seatback assembly, comprising:
a seatback frame having first and second side members defining a back support portion of the seatback frame, and an upper frame member interconnecting the first and second side members of the seatback frame to define a headrest support portion of the seatback frame, wherein the seatback frame includes an outer perimeter disposed around the first and second side members and the upper frame member, and further wherein the seatback frame includes an inverted U-shaped configuration between the back support portion and the headrest support portion;
a headrest supported on the headrest support portion of the seatback frame, and positioned in front of the headrest support portion of the seatback frame;
a front carrier module;
a back panel having a front edge, wherein the back panel and the front carrier module are operably coupled to one another around the seatback frame;
a raceway disposed between the outer perimeter of the seatback frame and the front edge of the back panel; and
an airbag assembly received in the raceway for outward deployment therefrom, wherein the airbag assembly is an elongate member disposed on opposed sides of the back support portion of the seatback frame, and further wherein the airbag assembly is disposed over the headrest support portion of the seatback frame.

2. The seatback assembly of claim 1 , wherein the raceway includes first and second ends with a body portion disposed therebetween.

3. The seatback assembly of claim 2 , wherein the body portion of the raceway includes first and second upwardly extending portions which respectively extend upwardly from the first and second ends of the raceway.

4. The seatback assembly of claim 3 , wherein the body portion of the raceway further includes an upper transverse portion which interconnects the first and second upwardly extending portions of the raceway.

5. The seatback assembly of claim 4 , wherein the airbag assembly includes first and second ends with a body portion disposed therebetween.

6. The seatback assembly of claim 5 , further wherein the first and second ends of the airbag assembly are received in the first and second ends of the raceway.

7. The seatback assembly of claim 6 , wherein the body portion of the airbag assembly is disposed along the body portion of the raceway between the first and second ends of the raceway.

8. The seatback assembly of claim 7 , wherein the body portion of the raceway includes a substantially inverted U-shaped configuration.

9. A seatback assembly, comprising;
a seatback frame having first and second side members defining a back support portion of the seatback frame, and an upper frame member interconnecting the first and second side members of the seatback frame to define a headrest support portion of the seatback frame, wherein the seatback frame includes an outer perimeter disposed around the first and second side members and the upper frame member, and further wherein the seatback frame includes an inverted U-shaped configuration between the back support portion and the headrest support portion;
a headrest supported on the headrest support portion of the seatback frame, and positioned in front of the headrest support portion of the seatback frame;
a back panel operably coupled to the seatback frame, wherein the back panel includes a front edge outwardly spaced-apart from the outer perimeter of the seatback frame and surrounding the outer perimeter of the seatback frame to define a raceway therebetween; and
an airbag assembly received in the raceway, wherein the airbag assembly is an elongate airbag assembly having first and second ends with a body portion disposed between the first and second ends, and further wherein the body portion of the airbag assembly is positioned over the upper portion of the seatback frame.

10. The seatback assembly of claim 9 , wherein the airbag assembly is positioned over an entirety of the headrest support portion of the seatback frame along the outer perimeter of the seatback frame.

11. The seatback assembly of claim 9 , wherein the raceway includes first and second ends with a body portion disposed therebetween.

12. The seatback assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first and second ends of the airbag assembly are received in the first and second ends of the raceway.

13. The seatback assembly of claim 9 , wherein the airbag assembly includes at least one strap outwardly extending from the body portion of the airbag assembly.

14. The seatback assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one strap interconnects the airbag assembly with the seatback frame.

15. The seatback assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one strap includes a plurality of straps spaced-apart along the body portion of the airbag assembly.

16. A seatback assembly, comprising:
a front carrier module having a rear edge;
a back panel operably coupled to the front carrier module and having a front edge, wherein the back panel and the front carrier module are detachably coupled to one another at the respective front and rear edges thereof, and further wherein the outer perimeter of the seatback frame is inset from the respective front and rear edges of the back panel and the front carrier module to define a raceway therebetween, and further wherein the back panel includes a headrest support portion at an upper portion thereof;
a seatback frame having first and second side members defining a back support portion of the seatback frame, and an upper frame member interconnecting the first and second side members of the seatback frame to define a headrest support portion of the seatback frame that is received in the headrest support portion of the back panel, wherein the seatback frame includes an outer perimeter disposed around the first and second side members and the upper frame member; and
an airbag assembly received in the raceway for outward deployment through a joint defined between the respective front and rear edges of the back panel and the front carrier module.

17. The seatback assembly of claim 16 , wherein airbag assembly is disposed in an inverted U-shaped configuration.

18. The seatback assembly of claim 16 , wherein the airbag assembly is operable between stowed and deployed conditions, and further wherein the airbag assembly projects forward around the front carrier module in the deployed condition.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kondrad Marcos Silva
• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Dry Alan George
• Berry S M Akbar
• Board Derek
• Sundararajan Srinivasan
• Hoernke Spencer Robert

Classifications

• B60R21/207 Primary

  in vehicle seats · CPC title

• B60R21/23138

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

• B60N2/64 Primary

  Back-rests {or cushions (B60N2/2222 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60N2205/30

  Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces · CPC title

• B60R2021/23161

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