US 11,904,795 B2
Seat assembly with deployable belt member
Johnathan Andrew Line, Northville, MI (US); Joseph Michael Kish, Canton, MI (US); Macit Aktas, Windsor (CA); Benjamin Yilma, Canton, MI (US); Derek Board, Ferndale, MI (US); Kevin Michael Pline, Plymouth, MI (US); Raed El-Jawahri, Northville, MI (US); Jeff Charles Paddock, Dearborn, MI (US); James Robert Chascsa, II, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Marcos Silva Kondrad, Macomb Township, MI (US); Rachel Demerly, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US); and Robyne McBride, Belle River (CA)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/845,086.
Prior Publication US 2023/0406258 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 21/207 (2006.01); B60R 21/2334 (2011.01); B60R 22/195 (2006.01); B60R 22/26 (2006.01); B60R 21/214 (2011.01)
CPC B60R 22/1951 (2013.01) [B60R 21/207 (2013.01); B60R 21/214 (2013.01); B60R 21/2334 (2013.01); B60R 22/1955 (2013.01); B60R 22/26 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seat assembly, comprising:
a seatback having an interior portion, wherein the seatback includes a back support portion centrally disposed thereon;
a retraction mechanism positioned within the interior portion of the seatback, wherein the retraction mechanism includes an airbag that is operable between at-rest and deployed conditions, and further wherein the airbag is retained in the interior portion of the seatback as the airbag moves between the at-rest condition and the deployed condition;
a tether member having first and second ends with a body portion disposed therebetween, wherein the body portion is operably coupled to the airbag of the retraction mechanism for movement therewith, and further wherein the tether member moves from a deployed position to a retracted position when the airbag moves from the at-rest condition to the deployed condition;
a belt member having first and second ends with a body portion disposed therebetween, wherein the first and second ends of the belt member are respectively coupled to the first and second ends of the tether member, and further wherein the body portion of the belt member is operable between a deployed position, wherein the belt member is disposed in front of the back support portion of the seatback, and a stowed position, wherein the belt member is received in the interior portion of the seatback; and
an overhead airbag assembly supported in the interior portion of the seatback in a stowed position, wherein the airbag assembly is configured to deploy from the stowed position to a deployed position in a seat-forward direction around the back support portion of the seatback.