Occupant protection systems for a vehicle seat

Abstract

A seat assembly having an occupant protection system. The occupant protection system may have a deployable shield. The deployable shield may extend around multiple sides of the seat assembly may extend at least partially around a front of a seat occupant when deployed, may be deployable along a dynamic deployment path based on a detected position of a seat occupant, or combinations thereof.

1 . A seat assembly comprising:
 an occupant protection system having a deployable shield that extends around multiple sides of the seat assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the deployable shield is disposed along a first lateral side, a back side, and a second lateral side of a seat back that is disposed opposite the first lateral side. 
     
     
         3 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the deployable shield is disposed along a first lateral side, a back side, and a second lateral side of a head restraint that is disposed opposite the first lateral side. 
     
     
         4 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the deployable shield is disposed under a trim cover of the seat assembly and does not exit the seat assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the deployable shield is a viscoelastic foam that increases in hardness in response to being rapidly compressed. 
     
     
         6 . The seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein the deployable shield includes an air impermeable bag that is partially filled with a mesh material that has a plurality of voids. 
     
     
         7 . The seat assembly of  claim 6  wherein the air impermeable bag receives a pressurized gas that inflates the deployable shield and flows through the mesh material. 
     
     
         8 . A seat assembly comprising:
 an occupant protection system that includes deployable shields that are deployable from opposite sides of the seat assembly and extendable at least partially around a front of a seat occupant.   
     
     
         9 . The seat assembly of  claim 8  wherein the deployable shields have a greater length of material along a first side that faces away from the seat occupant than a second side that opposes the first side and laces toward the seat occupant. 
     
     
         10 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the deployable shields each deploy along an arc toward each other and toward a center plane of the seat assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The seat assembly of  claim 10  wherein the deployable shields partially wrap around and embrace the seat occupant when inflated. 
     
     
         12 . The seat assembly of  claim 9  wherein the deployable shields each deploy toward each other along an arc having a constant radius. 
     
     
         13 . A seat assembly comprising:
 an occupant protection system having a deployable shield that is deployable along a dynamic deployment path based on a detected position of a seat occupant,   
     
     
         14 . The seat assembly of  claim 13  wherein the deployable shield includes a shield frame that has a plurality of frame members that define a plurality of openings in the shield frame. 
     
     
         15 . The seat assembly of  claim 14  wherein the shield frame is deployable from a seat back of the seat assembly is at least partially disposed along a back side of the seat back prior to deployment and extends in front of the seat occupant after deployment. 
     
     
         16 . The seat assembly of  claim 14  wherein the deployable shield includes a shield cover that inhibits the seat occupant from passing through the plurality of openings when the deployable shield is deployed. 
     
     
         17 . The seat assembly of  claim 16  wherein the shield cover is in tension during deployment of the deployable shield and adjusts a travel path of the shield frame during deployment of the deployable shield. 
     
     
         18 . The seat assembly of  claim 14  wherein the deployable shield includes a guide member that is mounted to the seat back and to the shield frame, wherein the guide member exerts force on the shield frame that directs deployment of the deployable shield toward a center plane of the seat assembly in front of the seat occupant. 
     
     
         19 . The seat assembly of  claim 18  wherein the guide member includes a sheath and a tensile member that extends through the sheath, wherein the tensile member is attached to the sheath at one or more points inside the sheath to bend the guide member upon deployment. 
     
     
         20 . The seat assembly of  claim 18  wherein the guide member includes a tensile member, wherein the dynamic deployment path of the deployable shield is adjusted by reducing an effective length of the tensile member.