Inflatable cushion assembly including breakable tether stitches
AssigneeAutoliv Development AB
InventorJames L. Webber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inflatable cushion assembly includes a tether having an attachment end attached to an inflatable cushion. The tether comprises one or more seams extending along an axis and defining a pocket adjacent the attachment end. The seam includes a series of breakable stitches having a first stitch adjacent a pocket and the series of stitches successively disposed along the axis away from the pocket. A seam ripper is received in the pocket, and secured remote from the tether. Deployment of the inflatable cushion pulls the seam ripper along the axis away from the attachment end to successively break the series of stitches.
Claims20
An inflatable cushion assembly deployable for protecting an occupant in a vehicle seat, comprising:
- an inflatable cushion defining an interior;
- a tether disposed within the interior of the inflatable cushion and attached to the inflatable cushion at an attachment end, said tether comprising a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer, and a series of breakable stitches extending along an axis and defining a pocket adjacent the attachment end, said series comprising a first stitch adjacent the pocket and successive stitches disposed along the axis in a direction away from the pocket;
- and
- a seam ripper received in the pocket and secured remote from the tether such that, upon inflation of the inflatable cushion, the tether is pulled along the axis to cause the seam ripper to successively break the series of breakable stitches.
A method for deploying an inflatable cushion to protect an occupant in a vehicle seat, comprising:
- attaching a tether to an interior of the inflatable cushion, said tether comprising an attachment end attached to the inflatable cushion and a series of breakable stitches extending along an axis and defining a pocket adjacent the attachment end, said series including a first stitch adjacent the pocket and successive stitches disposed along the axis in a direction away from the pocket;
- inserting a seam ripper into the pocket, said seam ripper being secured remote from the pocket;
- and
- inflating the inflatable cushion to cause the tether to move relative to the seam ripper such that the seam ripper engages and breaks the first stitch and thereafter the successive stitches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.