Vehicle Seat, Motor Vehicle, and Airbag Module

Abstract

A technology is provided effective for aiming at improving an assembling capability of an airbag module in 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 the present invention is constructed such that a hollow portion that is caved downward, which is provided in a seat pan is capable of holding an airbag module.

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: a seat pan of the vehicle seat for supporting a seat cushion thereon;an airbag module including an airbag; anda concave recessed portion of the seat pan for receiving the airbag module therein with deployment of the airbag lifting the seat cushion.

2. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the airbag module includes a retainer having a predetermined configuration to substantially match a predetermined configuration of the concave recessed portion of the seat pan.

3. The airbag device of claim 2 wherein the retainer includes a substantially flat bottom portion and an inclined portion extending up at an incline from the flat bottom portion, and the concave recessed portion of the seat pan includes a flat bottom portion substantially corresponding to the retainer flat bottom portion, and an inclined portion extending at an incline from the flat bottom portion substantially corresponding to the retainer inclined portion.

4. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the concave recessed portion of the seat pan includes a step portion that provides for ease in locating the airbag module in the concave recessed portion.

5. The airbag device of claim 4 wherein the step portion is at one end of the concave recessed portion and a wall extends generally upwardly at an opposite end of the concave recessed portion to allow the airbag module to be pivoted at the step portion toward the wall for assembly of the airbag module in the concave recessed portion of the seat pan.

6. The airbag device of claim 5 wherein the wall of the concave recessed portion includes an aperture for receiving a fastener therethrough with the airbag module pivoted thereagainst for fixing the airbag module thereto.

7. The airbag device of claim 4 wherein the concave recessed portion includes a substantially flat bottom wall portion, and an inclined wall portion extending up at an incline from a front end of the bottom wall portion with the step portion at an opposite rear end of the bottom wall portion.

8. The airbag device of claim 1 wherein the concave recessed portion includes a wall portion against which the airbag module is engaged at one side thereof, and a support member at the other side of the wall portion to support the wall portion during airbag deployment.

9. The airbag device of claim 8 wherein the airbag module and support member are fastened against the respective sides of the wall portion via a fastener.

10. A vehicle seat comprising: a seat pan for supporting a cushion;an airbag module including an airbag;a housing portion of the seat pan configured for receiving the airbag module therein; anda discriminating mechanism of the seat pan housing portion that provides a visual indication of whether the airbag module is in proper position received in the housing portion.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 10 wherein the housing portion is a concave portion of the seat pan, and the discriminating mechanism is a step portion at one end of the concave portion.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11 wherein the concave portion includes a generally flat bottom wall portion with the step portion being at a rear end of the flat bottom wall portion, and an upwardly extending wall portion at a forward end of the flat bottom wall portion so that the concave portion generally opens rearwardly and obliquely relative to the flat bottom wall portion.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 10 wherein the airbag module includes a retainer, and both the housing portion and the retainer include corresponding upwardly extending forward portions, and a fastener for securing the forward portions together.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 including a bracket member positioned so that the housing forward portion is between the retainer forward portion and the bracket member.

15. The vehicle seat of claim 14 wherein the bracket member is engaged against the housing forward portion and secured thereto by the fastener.

16. A method of installing an airbag module, the method comprising: lowering the airbag module toward an airbag module mounting location of a seat pan;determining whether a predetermined discriminating portion of the seat pan is visible with the airbag module on the seat pan;readjusting the airbag module if the seat pan discriminating portion is not visible to position the airbag module at the seat pan mounting location;shifting the airbag module in a predetermined manner relative to the seat pan discriminating portion with the seat pan discriminating portion visible and the airbag module positioned at the seat pan mounting location to bring predetermined mounting portions of the airbag module and seat pan into engagement; andfastening the airbag module and seat pan mounting portions together.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the seat pan discriminating portion is a step portion and the airbag module is shifted by pivoting the airbag module with the step portion acting as a fulcrum during pivoting of the airbag module.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the seat pan mounting portion is an inclined wall portion, the airbag module mounting portion is a portion of a retainer, the airbag module is shifted by shifting the retainer portion of the module into engagement with the inclined wall portion of the seat pan, and the inclined wall and retainer portions are fastened together by advancing a fastener carried by the retainer portion through an aperture in the inclined wall portion as the airbag module is pivoted to bring the retainer and inclined wall portion into engagement with each other.