IP Library Granted Patent US 11,358,554
Granted Patent B1
US 11,358,554 · App. 17/182,283 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Airbag assembly inflatable from seatback

Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi (Macomb, MI); S. M. Iskander Farooq (Novi, MI); Mohammad Omar Faruque (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
B60R21/207B60R21/01B60R21/231B60R2021/01286B60R2021/23107B60R2021/23161
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,358,554
App. No.
17/182,283
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

An assembly includes a seatback and a head restraint supported by the seatback. The assembly includes a panel slidably engaged with the seatback. The panel is movable relative to the head restraint to a deployed position rearward of the head restraint. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable forward toward the head restraint.

Claims (35)

1. An assembly comprising:

a seatback;

a head restraint supported by the seatback;

a panel slideably engaged with the seatback and moveable relative to the head restraint to a deployed position rearward of the head restraint;

an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable forward toward the head restraint; and

an inflator in fluid communication with the airbag, the inflator being supported on the panel and moveable with the panel to the deployed position.

2. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a second airbag supported by the panel and inflatable rearwardly from the panel.

3. The assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the inflator is in fluid communication with the second airbag.

4. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the airbag in the inflated position has an upper segment above the head restraint and two side sections extending downwardly from the upper segment along the head restraint.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a track fixed to the seatback, the panel being slideably engaged with the track.

6. The assembly as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising a pyrotechnic actuator fixed to the seatback and operatively engaged with the panel.

7. The assembly as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the pyrotechnic actuator is below the panel.

8. The assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein one of the panel and the track includes a spring-loaded pin biased toward the other of the panel and the track, and the other of the panel and the track including a hole configured to receive the spring-loaded pin when the panel is in the deployed position.

9. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the panel is planar.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the seatback includes a covering that conceals the panel when the panel is in an undeployed position.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a computer having a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to activate a pyrotechnic actuator to move the panel to the deployed position and, after actuating the pyrotechnic actuator, activating an inflator to inflate the airbag to the inflated position.

12. An assembly comprising:

a panel having a front side and a rear side;

a first track and a second track spaced from each other;

the first track and the second track elongated from a first end to a second end;

the panel slidable from an undeployed position to a deployed position between the first track and the second track along the first track and the second track;

a first airbag and a second airbag inflatable to an inflated position;

the first airbag supported by the panel on the front side and the second airbag supported by the panel on the rear side;

an inflator in fluid communication with the first airbag and the second airbag; and

the inflator being supported on the panel and moveable with the panel to the deployed position.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first airbag in the inflated position has an upper segment extending between the first track and the second track and two side sections extending downwardly from the upper segment.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a cross-beam and a pyrotechnic actuator operatively engaged with the panel.

15. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein one of the panel and the first track or the second track includes a spring-loaded pin biased toward the other of the panel and the first track or the second track, and the other of the panel and the first track or the second track including a hole configured to receive the spring-loaded pin when the panel is in the deployed position.

16. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the panel is planar.

17. An assembly comprising:

a seatback;

a head restraint supported by the seatback;

a panel slideably engaged with the seatback and moveable relative to the head restraint to a deployed position rearward of the head restraint;

an airbag supported by the panel and inflatable forward toward the head restraint; and

a computer having a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to activate a pyrotechnic actuator to move the panel to the deployed position and, after actuating the pyrotechnic actuator, activating an inflator to inflate the airbag to the inflated position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2021
From: JARADI, DEAN M.; FAROOQ, S.M. ISKANDER; FARUQUE, MOHAMMAD OMAR
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 055362/0884 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,617,364