US-12617364-B2 - Side airbag assembly

US12617364B2US 12617364 B2US12617364 B2US 12617364B2US-12617364-B2

Abstract

A vehicle includes a side airbag assembly including a tray and an airbag. The vehicle includes a vehicle seat that includes a seatback frame having an outboard side and an inboard side spaced from the outboard side in an inboard direction. The vehicle seat includes a tray supported by the seatback frame. The tray is movable relative to the seatback frame in the inboard direction from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The vehicle seat includes an airbag supported by the tray and movable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position.

Inventors

Fernando Lozano Omana
Joel Alonso Vazquez
Jesus Alfonso Alarcon Hernandez
Dante Arturo Rodriguez Camacho

Assignees

FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240916

Claims (13)

1 . A vehicle seat comprising: a seatback frame having an outboard side and an inboard side spaced from the outboard side in an inboard direction; a tray supported by the seatback frame and being movable relative to the seatback frame in the inboard direction from an undeployed position to a deployed position; an airbag supported by the tray and movable with the tray in the inboard direction from the undeployed position to the deployed position; and a rail fixed to the seatback frame and a sliding member fixed to the tray, the sliding member being slidably engaged with the rail in the inboard direction; the tray including a first wall and a second wall, the first wall extending in the inboard direction from the sliding member to the second wall, and the second wall extending from the first wall in a seat-forward direction in the undeployed position and in the deployed position; the airbag includes a base portion constrained between the inboard side and the second wall of the tray in the deployed position; the airbag in the deployed position extending from the first wall in the seat-forward direction farther than the second wall extends from the first wall.
2 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tray is at the inboard side of the seatback frame in the undeployed position.
3 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising an actuator between the rail and the sliding member to move the sliding member relative to the rail.
4 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a pyrotechnic actuator between the seatback frame and the tray to move the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position.
5 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the rail has a first end and a second end spaced from the first end in the inboard direction, the second end being higher than the first end.
6 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag, the inflator being supported by the tray and moveable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position.
7 . The vehicle seat as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second wall includes a bottom portion and a top portion extending from the bottom portion toward an upright midline of the seatback frame.
8 . The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second wall includes a bottom portion and a top portion extending from the bottom portion in a vehicle-outboard direction.
9 . The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the airbag inflates between the tray and the inboard side when the tray is in the deployed position.
10 . A vehicle comprising: a seatback frame; a tray supported by the seatback frame and being movable relative to the seatback frame in a vehicle-inboard direction from an undeployed position to a deployed position; an airbag supported by the tray and movable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position; a rail fixed to the seatback frame and a sliding member fixed to the tray, the sliding member being slidably engaged with the rail in the vehicle-inboard direction; an actuator between the seatback frame and the tray to move the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position; the tray including a first wall and a second wall, the first wall extending in the vehicle-inboard direction from the sliding member to the second wall, and the second wall extending from the first wall in a vehicle-forward direction in the undeployed position and in the deployed position; the airbag includes a base portion constrained between the seatback frame and the second wall of the tray in the deployed position; the airbag in the deployed position extending from the first wall in the seat-forward direction farther than the second wall extends from the first wall; and a computer having a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate the actuator in response to detection of certain vehicle impacts and detection of absence of an occupant vehicle inboard of the seatback frame.
11 . The vehicle as set forth in claim 10 , further comprising an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate the inflator in response to detection of certain vehicle impacts.
12 . The vehicle as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the inflator is supported by the tray and is moveable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position.
13 . The vehicle as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the actuator is a pyrotechnic actuator.

Description

BACKGROUND A side airbag is mounted to a seatback and is inflatable along a side of an occupant, specifically along the torso and/or head of the occupant. The side airbag, for example, may be inflatable between the occupant and a vehicle door. The side airbag controls the kinematics of the occupant in vehicle impacts that urge the occupant in a cross-vehicle direction, e.g., a side impact. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of a vehicle showing two side airbag assemblies in undeployed positions in hidden lines. FIG. 2 is the cutaway view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 with one of the side airbag assemblies in the deployed position and an airbag of the side airbag assembly inflated. FIG. 3 is a rear view of one of the seats with a covering of the seat shown in broken lines to show the side airbag assembly on a frame of a seatback of the seat. FIG. 4 is a top view of the seat with an example of the side airbag assembly in the deployed position and the airbag inflated. FIG. 5 is a top view of the seat with another example of the side airbag assembly in the deployed position and the airbag inflated. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the side airbag assembly. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system of the vehicle. FIG. 8 is a flow chart of an example method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A vehicle seat includes a seatback frame having an outboard side and an inboard side spaced from the outboard side in an inboard direction. A tray is supported by the seatback frame and is movable relative to the seatback frame in the inboard direction from an undeployed position to a deployed position. An airbag is supported by the tray and is movable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The tray may be at the inboard side of the seatback frame in the undeployed position The vehicle seat may include a track between the tray and the seatback frame. The tray may move along the track from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The track may include a rail fixed to the seatback frame and a sliding member fixed to the tray. The sliding member may be slidably engaged with the rail. The vehicle seat may include an actuator between the rail and the sliding member to move the sliding member relative to the rail. The vehicle seat may include an actuator between the seatback frame and the tray to move the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The vehicle seat may include a pyrotechnic actuator between the seatback frame and the tray to move the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The rail may have a first end and a second end spaced from the first end in an inboard direction. The second end may be higher than the first end. The vehicle seat may include an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag. The inflator may be supported by the tray and may be moveable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The tray may include a first wall extending in the cross-seat direction and a second wall extending from the first wall in a seat-forward direction. The second wall may include a bottom portion and a top portion extending from the bottom portion toward an upright midline of the seatback frame. The vehicle seat may include a tether between the airbag and the tray. A vehicle includes a seatback frame and a tray supported by the seatback frame. The tray is movable relative to the seatback frame in a vehicle-inboard direction from an undeployed position to a deployed position. An airbag is supported by the tray and is movable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. An actuator is between the seatback frame and the tray to move the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. A computer has a processor and memory storing instructions executable by the processor to actuate the actuator in response to detection of certain vehicle impacts and detection of absence of an occupant vehicle inboard of the seatback frame. The vehicle includes an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag and the memory may store instructions executable by the processor to actuate the inflator in response to detection of certain vehicle impacts. The inflator may be supported by the tray and may be moveable with the tray from the undeployed position to the deployed position. The actuator may be a pyrotechnic actuator. The tray may include a first wall extending in the vehicle-inboard direction and a second wall extending from the first wall in a vehicle-forward direction. The second wall may include a bottom portion and a top portion extending from the bottom portion in a vehicle-outboard direction. With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a vehicle 10 includes a side airbag assembly 12 including a tray 14 and an airbag 16. The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle seat 18 that includes a seatback frame 20 having an outboard side 22 and an inboard si