An airbag module mounted to an interior side of a bottom portion of a seat frame. The module includes an inflatable airbag and an inflator. The airbag is configured to deploy to a position directly inboard of an interior side of the seat bottom. A portion of the airbag extends above the seat bottom when the airbag is inflated.
1. An airbag assembly comprising:
an airbag module mounted to an interior side of a seat bottom of a seat bottom frame, wherein the airbag module includes
an inflator; and
an inflatable airbag, the airbag configured to inflate and deploy to a position directly inboard of the interior side of the seat bottom such that the airbag interacts with the seat bottom frame to laterally restrain a vehicle occupant,
wherein a portion of the airbag extends above the seat bottom when the airbag is inflated and resists a moment created by a force of the vehicle occupant impacting the portion of the airbag.
2. The airbag module of claim 1 , further comprising at least one tether extending between a top edge of the airbag and the seat bottom frame, wherein the tether is configured to position the airbag above the seat bottom.
3. The airbag module of claim 2 , wherein the tether is located on the exterior of the airbag.
4. The airbag module of claim 3 , further comprising a second tether located on the exterior of the airbag and extending between a front edge of the airbag and the seat bottom frame.
5. The airbag module of claim 4 , wherein the second tether is connected to both the top edge and the front edge of the airbag.
6. The airbag module of claim 1 , wherein the airbag is configured to extend the entire longitudinal length of the seat bottom when inflated.
7. The airbag module of claim 6 , wherein the airbag is configured to extend forward of the front of the seat bottom.
8. The airbag module of claim 6 , wherein the length of the airbag in the fore and aft direction is greater than the height of the airbag.
9. An occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle including an adjacent driver seat and passenger seat, wherein each seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back supported by a seat frame, the restraint system comprising:
an airbag module mounted to an interior side of a seat bottom of a seat bottom frame of one of the driver seat and the passenger seat, wherein the airbag module includes
an inflatable airbag stored in a folded configuration in the seat bottom of the one of the driver seat and passenger seat and configured to inflate and deploy to a position directly inboard of the interior side of the seat bottom of the one of the driver seat and the passenger seat such that the airbag interacts with the seat bottom frame to laterally restrain a vehicle occupant; and
an inflator connected to the seat bottom frame of the one of the driver seat and passenger seat and configured to provide gas to inflate the airbag;
wherein the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy to the position directly inboard of the interior side of the seat bottom of the one of the driver seat and passenger seat alongside the seat bottom and resist a moment created by a force of the vehicle occupant impacting the airbag.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an elongated positioning mechanism connected to the airbag at one end and anchored to the seat frame at the other end.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the elongated positioning mechanism includes at least two tethers, and wherein one of the tethers is connected to a front edge of the airbag and another one of the tethers is connected to a top edge of the airbag.
12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a second inflatable airbag stored in a seat back of the one of the driver seat and passenger seat, wherein the second inflatable airbag is configured to inflate and deploy into a position on the inboard side of the one of the driver seat and passenger seat alongside the seat back to thereby absorb energy resulting from movement of the upper body of the vehicle occupant.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the airbag is stored in the seat bottom of the passenger seat and is configured to inflate and deploy into a position where a portion of the inflated airbag is located on top of the seat bottom of the passenger seat so that the seating surface of the seat bottom of the passenger seat resists the moment created by the force of the driver impacting an upper portion of the inflated airbag.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein, in the deployed position, the second inflatable airbag is in contact with the first inflatable airbag so that each airbag provides support for the other airbag.
15. A system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle seat including a seat frame that supports a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat being one of an adjacent driver seat and passenger seat, the system comprising:
an airbag module mounted to an interior side of a seat bottom of a seat bottom frame, wherein the airbag module includes
an inflator; and
an inflatable airbag secured to the seat bottom frame and stored in the seat bottom prior to inflation,
wherein the airbag is configured to inflate and deploy to a position between the driver seat and passenger seat and is configured to extend longitudinally along the entire length of the seat bottom such that the airbag interacts with the seat bottom frame to laterally restrain the occupant by resisting a moment created by a force of the occupant impacting the airbag.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a tether extending between the seat bottom frame and an edge of the airbag, wherein the tether is configured to stabilize the position of the airbag after deployment.
17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a second tether extending between the seat bottom frame and an edge of the airbag, wherein the second tether extends substantially in the vertical direction upward from the seat frame.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the airbag is configured so that when the airbag is inflated the airbag covers substantially the entire side surface of the seat bottom.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the airbag is configured to deploy into a position extending both above and below the seat bottom.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the airbag is configured to deploy into a position overlying the seat bottom of the seat to which the airbag is not attached.