Vehicle Seat, Motor Vehicle, and Airbag Module

Abstract

A technology is provided effective for securing strength while saving weight of a vehicle seat, on which an airbag module is mounted having a construction in which an airbag is developed and expanded from a downside to an upside of the seat cushion, against a movement of the vehicle occupant in a front of the motor vehicle, in a condition of the occupant being seated in the vehicle seat, at a time when an accident occurs. A vehicle seat with respect to one form of the present invention is constructed such that an airbag module, a seat pan and a bracket are fastened together and pressure caused at a time when an airbag is developed and expanded when an accident occurs is received by the seat pan and the bracket which are integrated by the together-fastening operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view showing an internal structure of a vehicle seat 100 in the present embodiment and is a perspective view looking from diagonal backside of the motor vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along a line A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a work for housing an airbag module 30 into a housing portion 21 of a seat pan 20.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section showing a process for attaching and fixing the airbag module 30 into the housing portion 21 of the seat pan 20.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section showing a process for attaching and fixing the airbag module 30 into the housing portion 21 of the seat pan 20.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section showing the process for attaching and fixing the airbag module 30 into the housing portion 21 of the seat pan 20.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a construction of a seat pan 120 and an airbag module 130 in another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a construction of a seat pan 220 and an airbag module 230 in still another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a construction of a seat pan 320 and an airbag module 330 in a further embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section along a line B-B in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing a work for housing the airbag module 330 into the housing portion 21 of the seat pan 320.

Claims

1. An airbag device for a vehicle seat, the airbag device comprising: an airbag for being deployed to lift a seat cushion of the vehicle seat;a retainer for the airbag;a seat pan for supporting the seat cushion; anda support member secured to one side of the seat pan with the retainer secured to the other side of the seat pan so that during airbag deployment the support member reinforces the seat pan.

2. The airbag device of claim 1 including a fastener for securing the retainer, seat pan, and support member together with the fastener extending in an axial direction and the airbag being deployed in the axial direction.

3. The airbag device of claim 2 wherein the seat pan includes a recessed well in which the airbag and retainer are received with the well including a flat bottom wall portion, and the axial direction is generally a vertical direction extending generally orthogonally to the flat bottom wall portion.

4. The airbag device of claim 2 wherein the seat pan includes a recessed well in which the airbag and retainer are received with the well including a flat bottom wall portion, and the axial direction extends generally obliquely to the flat bottom wall portion.

5. The airbag device of claim 4 wherein the recessed well includes an inclined forward wall to which the retainer and support member are secured with the fastener so that the fastener extends generally orthogonally to the inclined wall.

6. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the retainer carries a fastener, and the seat pan and support member have aligned apertures for fitting the fastener therethrough with the fastener securing the retainer, seat pan, and support member together.

7. The airbag device of claim 6 including an airbag module comprising the airbag and an inflator secured to the retainer, and mounting indicia at a predetermined location of the seat pan so that with a predetermined portion of the airbag module placed thereon, the airbag module is in position to be pivoted to fit the fastener through the aligned apertures.

8. The airbag device of claim 7 wherein the mounting indicia comprises a step portion of the seat pan.

9. The airbag device of claim 7 wherein the aligned apertures are elongated to permit the pivoting fastener to fit therein.

10. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the retainer includes at least one upper tab projection, the seat pan includes a lower well in which the airbag and retainer are received and at least one upper recess in which the tab projection is received.

11. The airbag device of claim 10 wherein the upper recess includes an aperture, the support member includes an aperture aligned with the recess aperture, and the tab projection has a fastener that fits through the aligned apertures to secure the retainer, seat pan, and support member together.

12. A vehicle seat comprising: a base frame including a pair of side frame members;a seat pan spanning the side frame members for supporting a cushion thereon;an airbag module secured to the seat pan;an airbag for being deployed to push the seat cushion generally upwardly; anda support member spanning the side frame members and connected thereto to allow the seat pan to be fixed to the support member without requiring that the seat pan also be separately fixed to the side frame members.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12 including at least one fastener for securing the seat pan, airbag module and support member together.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 12 wherein the support member is secured to one side of the seat pan and the airbag module is secured to the other side of the seat pan to provide the seat pan with reinforcement for airbag deployment.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the support member has a thickness that is equal to or greater than that of the seat pan.

16. The vehicle seat of claim 12 wherein the seat pan has a recessed well in which the airbag module fits for being mounted therein.

17. The vehicle seat of claim 16 wherein the recessed well includes an inclined wall against which the airbag module is secured, and the airbag is deployed in a predetermined deployment direction that is generally orthogonal to the inclined wall.

18. The vehicle seat of claim 17 wherein the support member extends along the side of the inclined wall opposite to the side against which the airbag module is secured.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 17 including a fastener extending in the deployment direction that secures the airbag module, seat pan and support member together.

20. The vehicle seat of claim 17 wherein the seat pan includes at least one upper recess adjacent the well, the airbag module includes a retainer having a tab projection that fits in the upper recess, the support member extends along the side of the recess opposite to the side against which the tab projection is engaged, aligned apertures of the tab projection, upper recess, and support member, and a fastener fit through the aligned apertures to secure the retainer, seat pan and support member together.