WO2017144565A1

WO2017144565A1 - Vehicle and vehicle seat

Info

Publication number: WO2017144565A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/054124
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jennifer J. CARLSON; Eric B. Michalak
Original assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à.r.l.
Priority date: 2016-02-26
Filing date: 2017-02-23
Publication date: 2017-08-31

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising a vehicle interior (3), at least one vehicle seat (2) and an airbag module (4) having at least one inflatable cushion (4.1) arranged within a recessed area (2.5) of the vehicle seat (2) and a gas generator (4.2) arranged within the vehicle interior (3) at least outside the recessed area (2.5) receiving the inflatable cushion (4.1). Furthermore the invention relates to a vehicle seat (2) for a vehicle (1).

Description

VEHICLE AND VEHICLE SEAT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle and a vehicle seat.

In recent years, automobile manufacturers have directed increasing attention to providing improved protection for vehicle occupants. One method of doing so is to provide an airbag module mounted to a vehicle seat for additional protection to the vehicle occupant located on the seat or to an occupant located rearward or adjacent to the seat.

Such airbag modules are known from prior art, for example from US 7,090,246 B2 and from US 7,677,598 B1 . US 2009/0039622 A1 discloses an airbag module for automotive vehicles,

comprising a gas generator and an inflatable cushion which are housed in a common container. The size of the container is predetermined by the size of the gas generator and the size of the inflatable cushion.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle. The object is achieved by a vehicle according to claim 1 .

According to the invention, a vehicle comprises a vehicle interior, at least one vehicle seat and an airbag module. The airbag module comprises at least one inflatable cushion arranged within a recessed area of the vehicle seat and a gas generator arranged in the vehicle interior at least outside the recessed area receiving the inflatable cushion. The gas generator is located remotely. The gas generator may be located within or outside the vehicle seat.

The arrangement of the gas generator remote from the inflatable cushion allows reducing space in the seat, e. g. the backrest, for receiving the airbag module. The size of the recessed area may be thus reduced by 25 mm or more. Due to this, the vehicle seat can be provided with a thinner seat trim outline package, which means a thinner and lighter seat design according to the prior art.

The recessed area receiving the inflatable cushion may be arranged in any location within the seat, which is practical for passenger protection and packaging. Likewise, the gas generator may be arranged in any location within the vehicle interior ensuring a functional connection to the inflatable cushion.

For example, the recessed area receiving the inflatable cushion is located within a backrest of the vehicle seat and the gas generator is arranged below a seat cushion of the vehicle seat. The gas generator may be arranged in an area of seat tracks, whereby enough mounting space is provided for arranging the gas generator without affecting the size of the vehicle seat. Alternatively, the gas generator could be located in other places within the vehicle interior as well.

In a further embodiment, the airbag module is configured as a side airbag and the at least one inflatable cushion is arranged within a side section of the backrest. The airbag module thus provides side protection for a vehicle occupant located on the vehicle seat.

The inflatable cushion may be arranged in the seat cushion in order to provide side protection for a vehicle occupant located on the seat cushion. Preferably in this case the recessed area is laterally arranged within the backrest. The inflatable cushion may be arranged in the seat cushion as an anti-submarining device for a vehicle occupant located on the seat cushion. Preferably in this case the recessed area is centrical arranged within the backrest.

The inflatable cushion may be arranged in a head rest in order to provide side protection for a vehicle occupant located on the seat cushion. Preferably in this case the recessed area is laterally arranged within the head rest.

In order to provide an inflation of the cushion, the recessed area of the backrest, seat cushion or head rest receiving the at least one inflatable cushion is covered by a trim cover section having a tear seam. The tear seam may be designed with lower size due to the remote arrangement of the gas generator.

Furthermore, the gas generator and the at least one inflatable cushion may be fluidically connected together by at least one tube. In particular, the inflatable cushion may be fluidically connected to the gas generator by a high strength pneumatic tubing, which allows the gas to travel quickly towards the inflatable cushion in order to inflate it.

Exactly one gas generator can be connected to two or more inflatable cushions. For example exactly one gas generator is connected to two inflatable cushions laterally arranged within the backrest, one inflatable cushion on the left side and one inflatable cushion on the right side. Exactly one gas generator can be connected to several inflatable cushions within backrest and/or seat cushion and/or headrest. The object of the invention is achieved by a vehicle seat for the previously described vehicle. The gas generator can be arranged within the vehicle seat. Alternatively the vehicle seat has an interface to connect at least one inflatable cushion arranged within the seat with a gas generator arranged outside the seat. Preferably the seat comprises one or more features disclosed in the claims regarding the inventive vehicle.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle comprising a vehicle seat and an airbag module and

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the vehicle seat and the airbag module arranged within the vehicle. Corresponding parts are marked with the same reference symbols in all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 schematically shows a vehicle 1 in form of a block diagram.

The vehicle 1 comprises at least one vehicle seat 2 arranged within a vehicle interior 3 and at least one airbag module 4 for providing safety for a not shown vehicle occupant located on the vehicle seat 2.

In an embodiment, the vehicle 1 may be configured as a passenger vehicle comprising a driving seat, a front passenger seat and a rear seating row. Preferably, each of the vehicle seats 2 are provided with one airbag module 4 in order to provide safety for all vehicle occupants.

The vehicle seat 2 and the airbag module 4 will be described in more detail in context with the following figure 2.

Figure 2 schematically shows a side view of a vehicle seat 2.

The vehicle seat 2 comprises a seat cushion 2.1 , a backrest 2.2 and a head rest 2.3 that is supported on the backrest 2.2 by means of supporting rods 2.4. The vehicle seat 2 is covered at least section wise by a trim cover, which is not shown in detail. The head rest 2.3 may be alternatively supported on the backrest 2.2 in another mechanical way than the supporting rods 2.4. It is also conceivable that the head rest 2.3 is integrally formed with the backrest 2.2.

A recessed area 2.5 is provided on at least one side of the backrest 2.2 in upholstery in order to provide space for the airbag module 4. The airbag module 4 comprises at least one inflatable cushion 4.1 and a gas generator 4.2 fluidically connected to the at least one inflatable cushion 4.1 by a high strength pneumatic tube 4.3, which allows a quick travel of gas towards the inflatable cushion 4.1 in order to inflatable it.

According to the present embodiment, the inflatable cushion 4.1 is arranged within the recessed area 2.5 in a folded state and covered by a trim cover section T provided with a tear seam 2.6 that allows airbag inflation. Preferably, the vehicle seat 2 may comprise two recessed areas 2.5 on each side of the backrest 2.2 in order to offer optimum side protection for a vehicle occupant. According to this, the airbag module 4 may comprise one gas generator 4.2 provided with two tubes 4.3, wherein each tube 4.3 connects the gas generator 4.2 with one inflatable

cushion 4.1 .

The gas generator 4.2 usually comprises a gas generating module covered by a large housing, wherein the gas generating module includes a burning propellant, which generates inert gas that rapidly inflates the airbag in approximately 20 to 30 milliseconds. In conventional vehicles 1 , the inflatable cushion 4.1 and the gas generator 4.2 are arranged together within the backrest 2.2, thereby being fully contained behind the tear seam 2.6. Due to current trends of thinner and lighter vehicle seats 2, the invention provides an arrangement of the gas generator 4.2 remote from the smaller inflatable cushion 4.1 , wherein the gas generator 4.2 is arranged outside the backrest 2.2.

The present embodiment illustrates the gas generator 4.2 arranged underneath the seat cushion 2.1 in the area of not shown seat tracks. This area in the vehicle interior 3 provides enough space to arrange the gas generator 4.2 without affecting the size of the vehicle seat 2. The gas generator 4.2 may be arranged on any other suitable location within the vehicle interior 3 outside the backrest 2.2 that preferably provides good tube routing.

With the invention, the size of the recessed area 2.5 can be reduced by 25 mm or more, which may directly lead to a thinner seat trim outline package.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCES vehicle

vehicle seat

seat cushion

backrest

head rest

supporting rod

recessed area

tear seam

vehicle interior

airbag module

inflatable cushion

gas generator

tube trim cover

Claims

1 . A vehicle (1 ) comprising:

- a vehicle interior (3),

- at least one vehicle seat (2) and

- an airbag module (4) having

at least one inflatable cushion (4.1 ) arranged within a recessed area (2.5) of the vehicle seat (2) and

a gas generator (4.2) arranged within the vehicle interior (3) at least outside the recessed area (2.5) receiving the inflatable cushion (4.1 ).

2. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed area (2.5) receiving the inflatable cushion (4.1 ) is located within a backrest (2.2) of the vehicle seat (2).

3 The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 2, wherein the recessed area (2.5) is laterally arranged within the backrest (2.2).

4. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed area receiving the inflatable cushion is located within a seat cushion (2.1 ) of the vehicle seat (2).

5. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 4, wherein the recessed area is laterally arranged within the seat cushion (2.1 ).

6. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the recessed area receiving the inflatable cushion is located within a head rest (2.3) of the vehicle seat (2).

7. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 6, wherein the recessed area is laterally arranged within the head rest (2.3).

8. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas

generator (4.2) is arranged underneath a seat cushion (2.1 ) of the vehicle seat (2).

9. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas

generator (4.2) is arranged in an area of seat tracks of the vehicle seat (2).

10. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas generator (4.2) is arranged outside the vehicle seat (2).

1 1 . The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the airbag module (4) is configured as a side airbag.

12. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recessed area (2.5) is covered by a trim cover section (T) having a tear seam (2.6).

13. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas

generator (4.2) and the at least one inflatable cushion (4.1 ) are fluidically connected together.

14. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 13, wherein the gas generator (4.2) and the at least one inflatable cushion (4.1 ) are fluidically connected by at least one tube (4.3).

15. The vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein exactly one gas generator (4.2) is connected to two or more inflatable cushions (4.1 ).

16. Vehicle seat (2) for a vehicle (1 ) according to one of the preceding claims.