FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat incorporating a seat bottom edge airbag.

INTRODUCTION

This introduction generally presents the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this introduction, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.

Impact forces experienced in a vehicle typically differ significantly depending upon the direction of the impact. For example, the impact forces experienced in an impact to the front of the vehicle are typically significantly higher than those experienced in an impact to the rear of the vehicle. Conventional vehicles have primarily only included vehicle seats which are forward-facing, therefore, vehicle designers have primarily focused upon occupant safety systems which are designed to restrain forward facing passengers from an impact to the front of the vehicle. While these same vehicle designers have also designed occupant restraint systems to protect forward facing occupants from impacts from a direction other than to the front of the vehicle, these impact forces are much more likely to be of significantly reduced severity than those forces experienced in a front impact.

SUMMARY

In an exemplary aspect, a vehicle seat includes a seat bottom having a forward-facing surface relative to the vehicle seat and an airbag mounted to the seat bottom. The airbag includes an inflator mounted to the seat bottom and an airbag cushion including a portion positioned adjacent to the forward-facing surface of the seat bottom.

In another exemplary aspect, the seat bottom partially encompasses the inflator and the seat bottom is configured to allow the airbag cushion to deploy directly downward from the inflator.

In another exemplary aspect, the seat further includes a fastener connecting the airbag cushion to the forward-facing surface.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion is configured to react against a portion of the seat bottom away from the inflator and the seat bottom and airbag cushion pressure creates a reaction surface for the airbag cushion that prevents the airbag cushion from rotating rearwardly relative to the vehicle seat.

In another exemplary aspect, the seat bottom includes a seat frame with a forward-facing channel and wherein the inflator is positioned in the forward-facing channel.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion is configured to inflate at least partially into a volume in front of the seat bottom in response to activation of the inflator.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion includes a tether attaching a first portion of an inner surface of the airbag cushion to a second portion of the inner surface of the airbag cushion.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion includes a first vent to outside atmosphere.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion further includes a second vent that is aligned to allow gas to pass through the first vent during a first stage of airbag deployment and is configured to misalign to prevent gas from passing through the first vent during a second stage of airbag deployment when the tether has been pulled taught to cause the misalignment of the first vent and the second vent.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag further includes a reaction surface that moves via forces communicated to it by the cushion during deployment and achieves a resting position where it can support the cushion once the cushion is filled with gas and transmit cushion forces to the seat bottom.

In another exemplary aspect, the reaction surface comprises at least two pieces.

In another exemplary aspect, the reaction surface is pivotally connected to the seat bottom frame at a pivot that is responsive to an inflation of the airbag cushion to pivot downwardly and rearwardly about the pivot, and the reaction surface includes a pivot limiting surface which limits the rotation of the pivoting reaction surface about the pivot.

In another exemplary aspect, the inflator is mounted behind a forward portion of a seat bottom frame.

In another exemplary aspect, the airbag cushion is distributed around a lower portion and a side portion of the seat bottom frame.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages, of the present invention are readily apparent from the detailed description, including the claims, and exemplary embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

