# US 11,897,407 B2 · Vehicle seat having a seat system and having an airbag apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,407 B2 - Document ID: US11897407B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/791,686 - Filed: 2020-12-08 - Published: 2023-02-02 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-10 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Florian Ober - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897407B2 ## CPC - B60R 21/207: in vehicle seats - B60R 21/231: characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration - B60R 21/2338: Tethers - B60R 2021/23107: {the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system} - B60R 2021/23386: {External tether means} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle has a seat system including a seat cushion and a backrest, and an airbag apparatus which has an airbag and a retaining element, which is tensioned by filling the airbag. The retaining element has a connection region in which the retaining element is coupled to the airbag. By filling, the airbag can be moved from a stowed position to a functional position in which the airbag provides impact protection for an upper body of a seat occupant in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat. The retaining element has an additional connection region in which the retaining element is coupled to a retaining device of the vehicle seat. The retaining device is spaced apart from the backrest in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising: a seat unit comprising a seat cushion and a backrest; an airbag apparatus comprising at least one airbag and at least one restraining element tensionable by filling the at least one airbag; and a holding device spaced apart from the backrest in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has a connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the at least one airbag, wherein, due to the filling, the at least one airbag can be brought from a stowage position into a functional position in which the at least one airbag provides an impact protection for an upper body of a seat occupant of the vehicle seat in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has at least one further connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the holding device of the vehicle seat, wherein the holding device comprises a frame which at least partially surrounds an access opening for the seat occupant, and wherein the seat occupant can be brought into a seating position, in which the back of the seat occupant is in contact with a front side of the backrest, by moving their upper body through the access opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the holding device is closer to a front periphery of the seat cushion than the backrest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the holding device is fixed to a supporting structure of the seat unit in a region of the front periphery of the seat cushion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle seat has at least one strut by way of which the frame is coupled to the backrest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one restraining element extends along the holding device when the at least one airbag is brought into a stowage position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the at least one restraining element is in the form of a strap which is connected, in the connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the at least one airbag, to an outer side of a wall of the at least one airbag. ### Claim 7 A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising: a seat unit comprising a seat cushion and a backrest; an airbag apparatus comprising at least one airbag and at least one restraining element tensionable by filling the at least one airbag; and a holding device spaced apart from the backrest in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has a connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the at least one airbag, wherein, due to the filling, the at least one airbag can be brought from a stowage position into a functional position in which the at least one airbag provides an impact protection for an upper body of a seat occupant of the vehicle seat in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has at least one further connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the holding device of the vehicle seat, and wherein the holding device has at least one receiving space for receiving at least the at least one airbag brought into a stowage position. ### Claim 8 A vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, comprising: a seat unit comprising a seat cushion and a backrest; an airbag apparatus comprising at least one airbag and at least one restraining element tensionable by filling the at least one airbag; and a holding device spaced apart from the backrest in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has a connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the at least one airbag, wherein, due to the filling, the at least one airbag can be brought from a stowage position into a functional position in which the at least one airbag provides an impact protection for an upper body of a seat occupant of the vehicle seat in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat, wherein the at least one restraining element has at least one further connecting region in which the at least one restraining element is coupled to the holding device of the vehicle seat, wherein the vehicle seat has a first airbag and a second airbag, and wherein the first airbag and the second airbag are held on the holding device so as to lie opposite one another in a transverse direction of the vehicle seat by at least one respective restraining element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat according to claim 8, wherein a first restraining element, which is coupled to the first airbag, is coupled to the holding device in a first connecting region and in a second connecting region, the two connecting regions of the first restraining element are arranged spaced apart in the transverse direction of the vehicle seat from an imaginary central plane of the holding device, said central plane being oriented perpendicularly with respect to the transverse direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein a second restraining element, which is coupled to the second airbag, is coupled to the holding device in a first connecting region and in a second connecting region, the two connecting regions of the second restraining element are arranged spaced apart in the transverse direction of the vehicle seat from an imaginary central plane of the holding device, said central plane being oriented perpendicularly with respect to the transverse direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the first connecting region of the first restraining element is arranged above the second connecting region of the first restraining element in a vertical direction of the vehicle seat, and the first connecting region of the second restraining element is arranged above the second connecting region of the second restraining element in the vertical direction of the vehicle seat. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein the first connecting region is arranged above the second connecting region in a vertical direction of the vehicle seat.