Seat assembly having a seat repositioning device and an associated method

A seat assembly comprising:

• a seat comprising a seat cushion defining an opening therethrough and an upwardly extending seatback for supporting an occupant;
• an airbag capable of being inflated from a compacted state to an expanded state, wherein said airbag is disposed below said seat cushion and is inflated upwardly through the opening in said seat cushion so as to expand above said seat cushion and beneath the occupant's knees;
• and
• an actuation mechanism for initiating inflation of said airbag in response to a predetermined event such that the occupant's legs are raised upwardly at the knee.

A seat assembly comprising:

• a seat comprising a seat cushion and an upwardly extending seatback for supporting an occupant;
• a seatpan disposed beneath said seat cushion;
• a gas activated cylinder disposed below said seatpan capable of moving from an unextended state to an extended state such that extension of said gas activated cylinder raises at least a portion of said seat cushion and said seatpan upwardly;
• an actuation mechanism for initiating extension of said gas activated cylinder in response to a predetermined event such that the occupant's legs are raised upwardly at the knee;
• and
• a seat belt cinching mechanism for securing the occupant within said seat following the predetermined event, wherein said seat belt cinching mechanism is attached to the portion of said seatpan that is raised such that a seat belt is drawn more tightly about the occupant in response to raising of the portion of the seatpan.

A method for protecting a seated occupant comprising:

• providing a seat comprising a seatpan, a seat cushion disposed upon the seatpan, an airbag disposed beneath the seatpan and a seat belt cinching mechanism attached to the seatpan;
• detecting a predetermined event;
• inflating the airbag in response to the detection of the predetermined event;
• raising at least a portion of the seatpan and the seat cushion upwardly in response to inflation of the airbag;
• raising the occupant's legs at the knee in response to raising at least a portion of the seatpan and the seat cushion upwardly to thereby limit forward movement of the occupant's upper torso in response to the predetermined event;
• and
• drawing a seat belt more tightly about the occupant in response to raising at least a portion of the seatpan as a result of the attachment of the seat belt cinching mechanism to the portion of the seatpan that is raised.