Side air bag directional guide system
AssigneeMagna Lomason Corporation
InventorsRobert I. Homier, Carl J. Holdampf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The side air bag directional guide system is provided for intensifying the forces applied to a seam in a vehicle seat for allowing the air bag to be deployed through an opening in the seam. The air bag directional guide system includes a vehicle seat including a seat back having a seat cover. An air bag unit is mounted inside of the seat cover and a membrane is wrapped around the air bag unit and has first and second ends connected to a seam in the seat cover. Upon deployment of the air bag, the membrane intensifies the forces applied to the seam thereby tearing open the seam to provide an opening through which the air bag is deployed.
Claims16
An air bag directional guide system, comprising:
- a vehicle seat including a seat back having a seat cover;
- an air bag unit mounted inside of said seat cover, said air bag unit including an air bag and an inflator, said air bag operably connected to said inflator at one end thereof and having an unconnected free opposite end;
- a membrane surrounding said air bag and said inflator of said air bag unit, said membrane being made separately from said seat cover and having first and second ends connected to a seam in said seat cover, said membrane being made of a material higher in tensile strength than said seam in said seat cover whereby upon actuation, said membrane directs deployment of said air bag through the seam.
A method of directing a side air bag mounted in a vehicle seat, comprising the steps of:
- mounting an air bag unit inside of a seat cover of a seat back, said air bag operably connected to said inflator at one end thereof and having an unconnected free opposite end;
- attaching first and second ends of a membrane to a seam in said seat cover, said membrane being made of material higher in tensile strength. than said seam in said seat cover;
- wrapping said membrane around said air bag unit;
- deploying said side air bag using said membrane to direct the air bag through the seam.
An air bag directional guide system, comprising:
- a vehicle seat including a seat back having a seat cover;
- an air bag unit mounted inside of said seat cover, said air bag unit including an air bag and an inflator, said air bag operably connected to said inflator at one end thereof and having an unconnected free opposite end;
- a membrane surrounding said air bag and said inflator of said air bag unit, said membrane being made separately from said seat cover and having first and second ends connected to a seam in said seat cover;
- said membrane including two panels each having a sleeve formed along one edge thereof and including a rod inserted in each of said sleeves;
- means for connecting together said rods;
- whereby upon actuation, said membrane directs deployment of an air bag through the seam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.