US5927749A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Side air bag directional guide system
Assignee: Magna Lomason Corp
•
Filing: 1996-11-12
•
Granted: 1999-07-27
•
Expires: 2016-11-12
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert I. Homier
- 👤 Carl J. Holdampf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:05
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/20; B60R21/207; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/58; B60N2/5816; B60N2/5883; B60R2021/0002; B60R2021/0006; B60R2021/161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said membrane is made of high strength, low elasticity woven fabric.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said membrane is made of high strength, low elasticity plastic material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said air bag unit is mounted to a frame of said seat back.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 4, wherein said membrane also wraps around said frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 4, wherein said air bag unit is mounted to said frame by a bracket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said seam in said seat cover is sewn together with said first and second ends of said membrane attached thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said membrane includes two panels each having a sleeve formed along one edge thereof and including a rod inserted in each of said sleeves, said rods being connected together by at least one ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 1, wherein said membrane includes a first and a second panel each provided with one of said first and second ends connected to said seam in said seat cover, and further including means for connecting said first and second panels together at ends opposite said first and second ends.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 9, wherein said first and second panels are connected together at upper and lower ends thereof.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
106 words
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.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
106 words
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.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of attaching includes the step of sewing said seam together with said first and second ends of said membrane attached thereto.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said membrane includes a first and second panel which are attached to one another at upper and lower ends thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
139 words
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.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
139 words
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.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The air bag direction guide system according to claim 14, wherein said membrane is made of material higher in tensile strength than said seam in said seat cover whereby said membrane directs deployment of the air bag through the seam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The air bag directional guide system according to claim 14, wherein said means for connecting together said rods comprises at least one ring.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB2293355A
Cited
GB2296476A
Cited
US5498030A
Cited
EP0788940A2
Cited
EP0768215A2
Cited
US5678853A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-26 | 2003-01-25 | 2003-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-26 | 2007-01-25 | 2007-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-26 | 2011-01-25 | 2011-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |