# US 11,077,817 B1 · Airbag assembly inflatable from seat bottom > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,817 B1 - Document ID: US11077817B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/750,024 - Filed: 2020-01-23 - Published: 2021-07-29 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-23 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi; S. M. Iskander Farooq; Mohammad Omar Faruque; Anil Kalra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077817B1 ## CPC - B60R 21/207: in vehicle seats - B60R 21/2338: Tethers - B60R 21/013: including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over - B60R 2021/23386: {External tether means} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An assembly includes a seatback and a seat bottom. The seat bottom has a seat bottom frame. The seat bottom frame has a front side spaced from the seatback, a first side extending between the seatback and the front side, and a second side spaced from the first side and extending between the seatback and the front side. An airbag is supported by the front side and inflatable to an inflated position. An external tether extends from the airbag to the seatback. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly comprising: a seatback and a seat bottom, the seat bottom having a seat bottom frame; the seat bottom frame having a front side spaced from the seatback, a first side extending between the seatback and the front side, and a second side spaced from the first side and extending between the seatback and the front side; an airbag supported by the front side and inflatable to an inflated position; an external tether extending from the airbag to the seatback; and the airbag includes an inflatable portion and a non-inflatable portion, the inflatable portion supporting the non-inflatable portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable portion is elongated from a first end to a second end, the first end and the second end being spaced from each other and connected to the seat bottom, the inflatable portion being spaced from the seat bottom between the first end and the second end in the inflated position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the non-inflatable portion is connected to the inflatable portion between the first end and the second end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the non-inflatable portion is connected to the inflatable portion at a first location adjacent the first end and at a second location adjacent the second end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The assembly of claim 4, wherein the non-inflatable portion is connected to the inflatable portion between the first location and the second location. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the inflatable portion is tubular from the first end to the second end. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the inflatable portion turns generally 180 degrees from the first end to the second end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the inflatable portion has a first leg at the first end, a second leg at the second end, and a cross-member spaced from the seat bottom and extending from the first leg to the second leg, the non-inflatable portion being connected to the first leg, the second leg, and the cross-member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the external tether is embedded in the seatback and the seat bottom before the airbag is inflated to the inflated position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the external tether is connected to an upper portion of the seatback. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10, wherein the airbag has a distal end distal to the seat bottom in the inflated position and the external tether is connected to the distal end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the airbag has a distal end distal to the seat bottom in the inflated position and the external tether is connected to the distal end. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the seatback includes an actuator, the external tether being connected to the actuator and retractable by the actuator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the external tether is directly connected to the seatback and directly connected to the airbag. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the external tether is fixed relative to the airbag and the seatback. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the non-inflatable portion is connected to the inflatable portion and the seat bottom. ### Claim 17 An assembly comprising: a seatback and a seat bottom, the seat bottom having a seat bottom frame; the seat bottom frame having a front side spaced from the seatback, a first side extending between the seatback and the front side, and a second side spaced from the first side and extending between the seatback and the front side; an airbag supported by the front side and inflatable to an inflated position; an external tether extending from the airbag to the seatback; and a second external tether spaced from the external tether and extending from the airbag to the seatback. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The assembly of claim 17, wherein the seatback has a first bolster, a second bolster, and an occupant seating area between the first bolster and the second bolster, the external tether being connected to the first bolster and the second external tether being connected to the second bolster. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, wherein the airbag has a distal end distal to the seat bottom in the inflated position, the external tether and the second external tether being connected to the distal end. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, wherein the external tether is embedded in the first bolster and the seat bottom before the airbag is inflated to the inflated position and the second external tether is embedded in the second bolster and the seat bottom before the airbag is inflated to the inflated position.