Vehicle seats equipped with safety systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising a backrest structure, a seat cushion structure with an anti-submersion hump and an airbag with two components located on the sides of said seat on either side of a person who will be seated in the seat, according to the invention: each component of the airbag comprises an airbag cushion and at least one strap (8, 9) sewn to said cushion, said components being capable of deploying towards the front of the seat in the event of a vehicle collision, so that said components completely envelop the person, said seat (1) comprises a seat belt (50) fully integrated in said seat, a front casing (55) is placed on one side of the upper area of ​​the backrest structure and defines a housing configured to accommodate a motor-driven retractor suitable for controlling said seat belt (50), said at least one strap (8, 9) being housed between the front casing (55) and a shell (31, 39) covering said casing (55).

Description

Summary of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat equipped with an integrated safety system.

[0002] To simplify the text, it is always assumed that the airbag is deployed only when an accidental collision of the vehicle occurs against an external obstacle, which can be, for example, another vehicle. Therefore, it is not always explicitly stated that the airbag deployment occurs only after the vehicle collision.

[0003] To properly understand the arrangement of the various components included in the seat according to the present invention, this description assumes that the seat is placed in the vehicle with reference to an orthogonal reference system XYZ associated with this vehicle, where X is the longitudinal axis from the front to the rear of the vehicle, oriented towards the rear, Y is the transverse axis oriented towards the right of the vehicle, and Z is the vertical axis oriented upwards.

[0004] Currently, the front airbag placed inside the dashboard immediately in front of the passenger seat is very restrictive because it occupies a large amount of the space inside the dashboard.

[0005] One solution to this arrangement problem is to completely transfer this airbag directly to the passenger seat. However, such a transfer requires that the new airbag placed inside the seat - has protection features that are at least equivalent to those of the old passenger airbag placed inside the dashboard, and - is accurately and carefully installed inside the seat so that the elements already present inside the passenger seat do not prevent or interfere with the deployment of this new airbag and the airbag can be smoothly deployed in the desired configuration. are required.

[0006] Some existing seats already feature simple airbags on either side of the seat, in addition to those mounted within the dashboard, and therefore their performance complements that of the dashboard-mounted airbags. However, these airbags require a specific seat position relative to the dashboard, which becomes a constraint in autonomous vehicles where the occupant seat is designed to move or pivot significantly.

[0007] For example, in the context of autonomous vehicles, the seatbelt system is fully integrated into these seats to make them completely autonomous in terms of safety. However, fully integrating seatbelts and a fully functional, sophisticated airbag system into such seats is complex, as seatbelts must not interfere undesirably with the airbag system, as they could interrupt or even interfere with airbag deployment in the event of an accidental collision of the vehicle with an external obstacle.

[0008] The seat according to the present invention comprises an airbag that functions well in the event of a vehicle collision with an external obstacle and effectively protects the person sitting in the seat, and a seat belt system that is effective only for that person, wherein the airbag and the seat belt system are fully integrated within the seat without interfering with each other to the extent that they weaken each other's functions.

[0009] The subject of the present invention is a vehicle seat comprising a backrest structure, a seat pan structure having a submersion prevention hump, and an airbag having two components placed on the sides of the seat on both sides of the seat for the person sitting in the seat.

[0010] According to the present invention, - Each component of the airbag comprises an airbag cushion and at least one strap sewn to the airbag cushion, and the component can deploy forward of the seat in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby completely surrounding the individual. - Each component's at least one strap has an upper fixing point for securing to the upper region of the backrest structure and a bottom fixing point for securing to the anti-submersion hump of the seat pan structure, and each component's at least one strap extends along one side of the backrest structure and along one side of the seat pan structure, - The backrest structure comprises a seat cushion and a rigid shell surrounding the seat cushion and opening at the front, so that the at least one strap of each component passes between the seat cushion and the rigid shell at one side of the backrest structure, the seat comprises a seat belt fully integrated within the seat, the retractor being fixed to the backrest structure and positioned inside a receiving portion defined by a front casing located within the upper region of the backrest structure, the rigid shell at least partially covering the front casing, thereby forming a space between them so that the at least one strap of one of the two components can pass through the upper region of the backrest structure, the shell defining the receiving portion rearward.

[0011] The airbag implemented in a seat according to the present invention comprises two components located on either side of the person sitting in the seat, and each of the two components is designed to deploy forward to completely surround the person in the event of a vehicle collision. A particular feature of this airbag is that each of its components comprises an airbag cushion and at least one strap sewn to the airbag cushion, and the at least one strap is - The airbag components are secured within the seat by upper fixing points in the upper region of the backrest and by lower fixing points in the seat's anti-submersion hump, - To ensure that this airbag cushion provides adequate protection for the individual sitting in the seat, the deployment of the airbag cushion on the seat is guided. This makes it possible.

[0012] The rigid shell of the backrest encloses the portion that allows at least one strap of each component of the airbag to be held to the seat cushion, and also allows the airbag to deploy forward of the backrest during inflation so that the two components of the airbag can completely surround the person sitting in the seat.

[0013] Another particular feature of the seat according to the present invention is that it comprises a seat belt fully integrated inside, the seat belt having a retractor configured to pull the seat belt in the event of a collision between the vehicle and an external obstacle.

[0014] The backrest shell extends to the seat belt casing that encloses the retractor, thereby covering it at least partially. This shell is positioned around the casing, thereby forming a space with the casing for the passage of the at least one strap of one of the two components of the airbag. The at least one strap is therefore positioned around the casing that receives the retractor. In this way, when the vehicle is involved in an accident, the at least one strap can deploy forward of the seat simultaneously with the airbag cushion in its inflation phase without being interrupted by the presence of the retractor. Similarly, the at least one strap is positioned above the casing that receives the seat belt retractor so as not to interfere with the seat belt performing its function of holding onto the seat.

[0015] In summary, the principle of the sheet according to the present invention is this: - A fully integrated airbag that functions particularly well as a result of being suitable for completely surrounding the occupant sitting in the seat in the event of an accident, -This also has a fully integrated seat belt system. It is about having the necessary equipment.

[0016] These two safety elements are mounted within the sheet in such a way that they do not interfere with each other and do not interrupt the function of the other elements.

[0017] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the shell comprises a rear wall configured to rest against the rear surface of the seat cushion, two lateral edges configured to rest against two lateral edges of the seat cushion, thereby surrounding the at least one strap of each component, and an upper edge configured to rest on a forward casing that encloses a retractor for the seat belt, creating a passage for the at least one strap of one of the two components within the upper region of the backrest structure. The shell covers the at least one strap of each component of the airbag on the side of the backrest and within its upper zone despite the presence of the forward casing that receives the seat belt retractor, and ensures that the strap deploys forward when the airbag cushion is in the inflation phase. Another task of the shell is to completely cover the at least one strap of each component of the airbag in order to improve the appearance of the seat.

[0018] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the front casing of a seat belt comprises a groove configured for the passage of at least one strap of one of two components, and the shell comprises a flat segment covering the groove through which the at least one strap is placed. The groove allows the at least one strap to be held on the front casing, thereby limiting the path through which the at least one strap can slide.

[0019] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the width of the groove is slightly larger than that of the at least one strap so that the at least one strap is placed in the groove with minimal play. In this way, the groove ensures a good retaining function that allows the strap to shift within it while holding the at least one strap of one of the components of the airbag. Thus, the strap does not get caught in the groove and is easily deployed in the event that the vehicle is involved in an accident. Minimal play means a few millimeters of play, but may reach 1 cm.

[0020] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the backrest comprises a main surface configured on which the occupant's back rests, and two lateral upright portions surrounding the main surface and configured to laterally hold the occupant's back, wherein the front casing is located within the upper region of one of the two lateral upright portions. The front casing is off-center on the seat and therefore does not pose a risk of leaning against the person sitting in the seat. The person does not feel any inconvenience due to the presence of the front casing and therefore can easily handle the portion of the seat belt that extends beyond the casing.

[0021] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the lateral upright portion on which the front casing is located is shortened in advance such that the total length of the upright portion and the front casing are equal to the total length of the other upright portion. In this way, the casing does not create any protrusions that are likely to bother the person sitting in the seat and negatively affect the aesthetics of the vehicle. Therefore, the seat provided with this casing has visual symmetry and does not appear to have an electric retractor.

[0022] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the front casing has a front surface having an opening that allows a portion of the seat belt to exit the front casing forward.

[0023] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the opening has the shape of a cross with slots, the length of the slots being greater than the width of the seat belt portion emerging from the front casing, allowing said portion to emerge from said slots. The slots are discreet and unobtrusive openings, leaving only a small play for that portion of the seat belt to pass through. In this way, the front casing is less likely to become clogged by dust outside the seat. The cross has vertical secondary slots leading into said slots, thereby allowing the seat belt to be inserted into the casing when the seat is attached.

[0024] According to one possible feature of the present invention, the front casing is closed so that the electric retractor for the seat belt is not visible from outside the seat. The expression "the casing is closed" means that it has no openings other than those formed by the cross.

[0025] Another subject of the present invention is a vehicle comprising at least one seat according to the present invention.

[0026] The vehicle seat according to the present invention has the advantage of having an enveloping airbag configured to ensure the safety of the occupant sitting on said seat in a fully effective, self-sufficient and reliable manner without major rework. Specifically, by functionally attaching the airbag to the seat with a limited number of parts of simple design, the seat functions particularly well in terms of safety. As a result, the seat according to the present invention can allow the reuse of existing parts without major modification of said seat. Furthermore, the seat according to the present invention has the advantage of fully integrating the seat belt, and its specific attachment prevents said belt from interfering with the components of the airbag. In other words, the airbag and the seat belt do not interfere with each other and do not have any adverse effects on each other. The seat according to the present invention incorporates all the safety elements for protecting the occupant sitting on said seat and is therefore particularly suitable, although not exclusively, for autonomous vehicles.

[0027] Therefore, with reference to the following figures, a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the sheet according to the present invention will be continued.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the airbag for the sheet according to the present invention, in a configuration deployed on the sheet. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of the structure of the sheet of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a partial perspective view of the structure of the seat pan for the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view of the inner casing and the outer casing of the structure of the seat pan for the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a partial perspective view of the structure of the seat pan of FIG. 4 at different angles. [Figure 7] It is a partial perspective view of the structure of the seat pan for the sheet according to the present invention, showing the angle-changing wire for the airbag strap. [Figure 8] It is a side view of the structure of the seat pan for the sheet according to the present invention, provided with a backrest tilt control handle. [Figure 9] It is an exploded perspective view of the backrest for the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view of the assembled backrest of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of the lateral region of the backrest for the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a side view of the sheet according to the present invention, showing the arrangement of the airbag strap along one side portion of the sheet. [Figure 13] It is a side view of the upper region of the backrest for the sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 14] It is a simplified cross-sectional view of the upper region of FIG. 10 along the first cross-section. [Figure 15]This is a simplified cross-sectional view of the upper region of Figure 10 along the second cross-section. [Figure 16] This is a front perspective view of the seat according to the present invention, showing a casing for receiving an electric retractor. [Figure 17] Figure 13 is a front view of the sheet. [Figure 18] This is a front view of a seat backrest according to the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view of the upper region of a seat backrest according to the present invention, showing an electric retractor for a seat belt. [Figure 20] This is a front view of the upper region of a seat backrest according to the present invention, showing the front of a casing configured to receive an electric retractor for a seat belt. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Referring to Figure 1, the seat 1 according to the present invention is preferably an occupant seat that conventionally includes a seat pan 2 with a structure and a backrest 3, which also has a structure.

[0030] Referring to Figure 2, a first specific feature of such a seat 1 is that it integrates an airbag 4 configured to replace an occupant airbag that is normally housed in the vehicle's dashboard, just in front of the occupant seat. In general terms, this airbag 4 comprises two distinct components 5, 6, each having an airbag cushion 7 and two straps 8, 9 sewn to this airbag cushion 7. The two components 5, 6 of this airbag 4 are housed within the seat 1, in its respective side portions 10, 11, so as to be positioned on either side of the individual sitting in the seat 1. In other words, these two components 5, 6 are located on the sides of the individual sitting in the seat 1 and are aligned along the transverse axis Y of the vehicle to which the seat 1 is mounted. Since these two components 5, 6 are substantially identical, only one of these components 5, 6 will be described for the remainder of this description.

[0031] Referring to Figure 3, when the components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 are stored within the seat 1, the two straps 8 and 9 are overlapped and have an upper fixing point for securing to the central upper region 12 of the structure of the backrest 3 and a bottom fixing point for securing to the central region 13 of the anti-submersion hump 14 of the seat pan 2. The airbag cushion 7 is inserted into one side of the backrest 3 so that it is not visible from the outside of the seat 1. The two overlapping straps 8 and 9 extend between their upper and bottom fixing points, passing along the side of the backrest 3 and the side of the seat pan 2, never being visible from the outside of the seat 1.

[0032] Referring to Figure 2, in the event of an accidental collision of the vehicle with an external obstacle, which may be another vehicle, the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 deploy forward simultaneously, as indicated by the two arrows 15 and 16, thereby completely enveloping the individual sitting in the seat 1. In detail, during this deployment, the two inflated airbag cushions 7 of the two components 5 and 6 move in conjunction with each other to form a continuous protective band around the individual. The deployment of each component 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 is caused by the inflation of the airbag cushion 7 and is guided by two straps 8 and 9 sewn to the airbag cushion 7 and secured to both the structure of the backrest 6 and the structure of the seat pan 2. When the components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 deploy, the upper and lower fixing points of the two straps 8 and 9 remain unchanged and continue to hold the two straps 8 and 9 in place. The individual is perfectly protected in all directions once completely surrounded by the two airbag cushions 7 of the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4.

[0033] For the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 to perform their protective function perfectly, it is important that they be well integrated within the seat 1 so that they can deploy smoothly and effectively in the desired direction without interfering with other elements of the seat. Specifically, the integration of the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 within the seat 1 must not interfere with the operation of the seat belt, for example, or any element of the seat 1 must not adversely affect the deployment of the components 5 and 6.

[0034] The seat 1 according to the present invention has a seat pan 2 specially configured to integrate two components 5 and 6 of an airbag 4. The structure of the seat pan 2 is substantially defined by two longitudinal parallel edges extending along the longitudinal axis X of the vehicle and by two transverse parallel edges extending along the transverse axis Y of the vehicle.

[0035] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, each longitudinal edge of the structure of the seat pan 2 is embodied by an inner casing 17 and an outer casing 18. The inner casing 17 and outer casing 18 are portions with small thickness that can be inscribed within the substantially perpendicular longitudinal plane XZ of the vehicle. Along the transverse axis Y of the vehicle, the two outer casings 18 correspond to the two outermost portions of the seat pan 2, and each inner casing 17 is inserted between the outer casing 18 and the central region of the seat pan 2 configured for an individual to sit in. The outer casing 18 extends along the longitudinal axis X of the vehicle and has a concave region 19, and the inner casing 17 has a shorter length than that of the outer casing 18, which is the dimension when considered along the longitudinal axis X of the vehicle. The inner casing 17 has a curve and is configured to contact the wall of the outer casing 18 that defines the concave region 19.

[0036] Referring to Figures 4 and 6, when the inner casing 17 is pressed against the inner surface of the outer casing 18, together with the outer casing 18, it forms a passage through which the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the corresponding components 5, 6 of the airbag 4 pass. The inner casing 17 has an opening 20 configured to receive a specific housing 21 for housing a seat belt buckle or fastening means for the seat belt. In this way, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 pass between the inner casing 17 and the outer casing 18, so they are outside the seat belt buckle and therefore not likely to interfere with the seat belt. Similarly, the seat belt does not prevent the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 from deploying in the event of a vehicle collision with an external obstacle.

[0037] Referring to Figures 1, 4, 5, and 8, the outer casing 18 has an end segment 22 that extends perpendicularly to the main body 23 of the casing, the end segment 22 is configured to conceal two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 between the backrest 3 and the seat pan 2 of the seat 1, following the backrest 3.

[0038] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the two overlapping straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4 between the backrest 3 and the seat pan 2 have a fold 24 that is substantially 90°, i.e., 90° ± 10°. This 90° pre-fold is necessary to adequately prevent the appearance of folds that could prove dangerous during the deployment of the two overlapping straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4. In detail, the deployed state of the two overlapping straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4 in the seat 1 is such that the 90° pre-fold disappears and transitions into smooth, uniform airbag straps 8 and 9, and so these straps have no bends at all, as shown in Figure 2.

[0039] Referring to Figure 3, the backrest 3 of the seat 1 according to the present invention can be adjusted in terms of inclination, like most backrests of existing vehicle seats. The backrest is rotatably mounted around a pivot axis 25 located in the lower region of the structure of the backrest 3, which extends along the transverse axis Y of the vehicle. Through passages along the sides of the backrest 3 and the side of the seat pan 2, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the components 5, 6 of the airbag 4 pass through this pivot axis 25. In other words, if the pivot axis 25 is artificially continued at each side, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 will pass through the artificially continued portion of the pivot axis 25. In this way, by passing through the pivot axis 25 of the backrest 3, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 do not obstruct the backrest 3 from rotating around the axis 25 to adjust its inclination. However, the two overlapping straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4 cover the mechanism for rotating and positioning the backrest 3, which is conventionally located within the continuum of the backrest's pivot axis 25, thus hindering the operation of this mechanism.

[0040] Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 8, to address this obstruction, a control element 26 for the mechanism 27 is created and located in the forward zone of one of the two outer casings 18 of the seat pan 2 of the seat 1. By default, this control element consists of a handle 26 extending along the horizontal longitudinal axis X of the vehicle, the handle 26 being connected by a wire 28 to the mechanism 27 for rotating and positioning the backrest 3. The wire 28 is concealed by the outer casing 18, and manual rotation of the control handle 26 exerts tension on the wire 28, which acts directly on the mechanism 27 to allow adjustment of the inclination of the backrest 3.

[0041] Similarly, the two overlapping straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4 cover the mechanism for raising the seat pan 2, preventing any height adjustment of the seat pan 2.

[0042] Referring to Figures 1, 3, and 4, this access problem to the mechanism for raising the sheet pan 2 is addressed by adding an electric motor to the mechanism and associating a control button 29 with this electric motor. This control button is a push button 29 fixed within an outer casing 18 supporting a control handle 26, the push button 29 being located behind the handle 26.

[0043] Referring to Figure 7, a rigid angle-changing wire 30 is fixed to the structure of the inner sheet pan 2 of the inner casing 17, thereby improving the positioning of the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 within the passage located between the inner casing 17 and the outer casing 18. Specifically, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 travel around this rigid wire 30, pressing against it and thereby forming a bend, and the rigid wire 30 straightens these straps so that the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag are optimally inserted into the passage created between the inner casing 17 and the outer casing 18. In other words, the rigid wire 30 ensures that the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag 4 remain straight within the passage located between the inner casing 17 and the outer casing 18.

[0044] Referring to Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, the sections of the airbag cushion 7 and the overlapping straps 8, 9 sewn to the airbag cushion 7 are placed within the backrest 3 of the seat 1. The lining of the backrest 3 is modified to surround the occupant and allow the two overlapping straps 8, 9 and the airbag cushion 7 to be quickly released in a desired direction, i.e., forward of the seat 1, in order to avoid contact with the central column area of ​​the vehicle's main shell. To achieve this, a rigid rear shell 31 is pressed against a seat cushion 32 comprising a foam pad of the backrest 3 and fibers surrounding the foam. The seat cushion 32 comprises a main wall 33 that is continued forward by two parallel lateral edges 34, 35. The shell 31 has a main wall 36 that is continued forward by two parallel lateral edges 37, 38 and an upper edge 39. These two lateral edges 34, 35 are substantially perpendicular to the main wall 36, and the upper edge 39 follows the main wall 36 and is inclined thereto. The shell 31 is pressed against the seat cushion 32 of the backrest 3, thereby, - The main wall 36 is pressed against the main surface 33 of the seat cushion 32 from behind, - The two lateral edges 37, 38 clamp the two lateral edges 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32, thereby capturing the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of each component 5, 6 of the airbag 4. Figure 12 may be misleading in this regard because, despite the presence of the two lateral edges 37, 38 of the shell 31, the two overlapping straps 8, 9 of one of the components 5, 6 of the airbag 4 are still visible. To mitigate this ambiguity, it is assumed that Figure 12 will show the straps 8, 9 viewed through the lateral upright portions 37, 38 of the shell 31. The two overlapping straps 8, 9 of each component 5, 6 of the airbag cushion 7 and airbag 4 are housed between the lateral edges 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32 and the lateral edges 37, 38 of the shell 31. The overlapping straps 8 and 9 are sewn to the outer sides of the airbag cushion 7 and are therefore the first to be released from the backrest 3 in the event of a vehicle collision with an external obstacle, even if they are connected to the airbag cushion 7.

[0045] Due to the specific configuration of the shell 31, and the functional arrangement of the airbag cushion 7 and the two overlapping straps 8, 9 between the lateral edges 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32 and the lateral edges 37, 38 of the shell 31, the airbag cushion 7 and the two overlapping straps 8, 9 deploy forward of the backrest 3, as embodied by the arrows 40 in Figures 10 and 11. Such arrangement configuration of these various elements also prevents any transverse deployment of the airbag cushion 7 and the two associated, overlapping straps 8, 9, i.e., deployment along the transverse axis Y of the vehicle.

[0046] Referring to Figures 13 to 20, a second specific feature of the seat 1 according to the present invention is that, in addition to the fact that this seat fully integrates two components 5, 6 of a well-functioning airbag 4, it fully integrates a seat belt 50. In detail, the seat belt of an occupant seat or driver's seat usually has a fixing point for fastening to a central column on one side of the main shell. To manufacture the vehicle seat 1 according to the present invention, this fixing point has been moved to an upper region 51 that is detached from the center of the structure of the backrest 3.

[0047] Referring to Figures 16, 17, and 18, the backrest 3 of the seat 1 according to the present invention comprises a main front surface 52, which is part of the main wall 33 of the seat cushion 32, and is configured such that the back of the occupant sitting on the seat 1 rests on this main surface, and two lateral upright portions 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32 surround the main surface 52 and are slightly inclined with respect to it. Note that these two lateral upright portions 34, 35 refer to the two lateral edges 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32 described above. In this way, these two lateral upright portions 34, 35 are configured to hold the occupant's back laterally. During the manufacture of this sheet, one of the two transverse upright sections 34, 35 is shortened so that a hollow front casing 55 can be integrated at one end of this transverse upright section 34, 35, thereby making the total length of the shortened transverse upright section 34, 35 and the hollow front casing 55 equal to the total length of the other transverse upright section 34, 35.

[0048] Referring to Figures 16, 17, and 18, the hollow front casing 55 is therefore located within the upper region 51 of the backrest 3 structure and offset from the main front surface 52. For aesthetic reasons, the hollow front casing 55 forms an ideal continuation of the shortened lateral uprights 34, 35 at the end to which it is fixed, so that the overall geometry of the assembly formed by the shortened lateral uprights 34, 35 and the casing 55 is identical to the shape of the other lateral uprights 34, 35. As a result, the backrest 3 of the seat 1 has perfect symmetry with respect to these two lateral uprights 34, 35. Preferably, the front casing 55 has a rounded shape without protruding edge corners so as not to injure the vehicle occupant or adversely affect the aesthetics of the seat 1.

[0049] Referring to Figure 19, the hollow front casing 55 defines a receiving portion configured to house an electric retractor 56 for a seat belt 50, thus embodiing the relocation of the fixing point for the seat belt 50, which is located on the central column in some more conventional vehicles. This retractor 56 is fixed to the structure of the backrest 3.

[0050] Referring to Figures 16, 17, 18, and 20, the front casing 55 has a front surface 57 with a cross-shaped opening comprising a slot 58 and a vertical secondary slot, the slot 58 through which a portion 59 of a seat belt 50 that wraps around an electric retractor 56 placed inside the front casing 55 passes. The slot 58 is substantially rectangular and preferably extends horizontally. The vertical secondary slot reaches into the horizontal slot 58, allowing the seat belt to be inserted into the front casing 55. The portion 59 of the seat belt 50 has a width less than the length of the slot 58 and can therefore exit the slot 58 with limited play with the slot, thereby stabilizing the position of the portion 59 as it exits the hollow casing 55 and thus making the seat belts 50, 59 easier to handle. The presence of the slot 58 allows the seat belt portion 59 to descend along the lateral upright portions 34, 35 of the backrest 3 without ever interfering with the overlapping straps 8, 9 of the airbag components 5, 6 passing between one of the lateral upright portions 34, 35 of the seat cushion 32 and the lateral edges 37, 38 of the shell 31.

[0051] Referring to Figures 13, 14, and 15, the upper edge 39 of the shell 31 is positioned above and in contact with the upper wall 60 of the hollow casing 55 that houses the electric retractor 56 for the seat belt 50. This upper edge 39, together with the hollow front casing 55, defines the receiving area in which the retractor 56 is positioned. The upper wall 60 has a groove 61 through which two overlapping straps 8, 9 of one of the two components 5, 6 of the airbag 4 pass. The width of this groove 61 is slightly greater than the width of the two overlapping straps 8, 9, thereby allowing these straps to be accommodated in the groove 61 without creating a large amount of play. The upper edge 39 of the shell 31 is long enough to cover the groove 61 almost completely and thus conceal the presence of the two overlapping straps 8, 9 in the groove. The upper edge 39 of the shell 31 covers the groove 61 as tightly as possible, allowing the two overlapping straps 8, 9 housed within the groove 61 to be ejected from the groove 61 and thrown forward of the backrest 3 in the event of an accidental collision of the vehicle with an external obstacle. In detail, in the event of such a collision, the airbag cushions 7 of each component 5, 6 of the airbag 4 inflate as they move forward from the backrest 3, pulling together with the two overlapping straps 8, 9 sewn to the airbag cushions 7. Initially overlapping, the two straps 8, 9 unfold forward from the backrest 3 and separate from each other under the influence of the inflation of the airbag cushions 7. In summary, the shell 31 added to the backrest 3 allows the straps 8, 9 sewn to the airbag cushions 7 to move forward from the two sides of the backrest 3 and forward within the upper region 51 of the backrest 3.

[0052] The vehicle seat 1 according to the present invention therefore has the following two specific features: - The vehicle seat has an airbag 4 in the form of two components 5, 6, each having at least two straps 8, 9 and an airbag cushion 7 to which the straps 8, 9 are sewn. In this way, in the event of a vehicle collision with an external obstacle, the two components 5, 6 of the airbag deploy forward guided by the straps 8, 9, thereby the two airbag cushions 7, when deployed, form a continuous band that completely surrounds the person sitting in the seat 1. The presence of this continuous inflation protects the person with maximum safety. Note that the airbag 4 is fully integrated within the seat 1. - The vehicle seat fully integrates a seat belt 50 having an electric retractor 56 housed in a casing 55 positioned off-center within the upper region 51 of the backrest 3.

[0053] The seat 1 is designed such that the seat belt 50 does not interfere with the potential deployment of the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag 4 in the event of a vehicle collision with an external obstacle, and the straps 8 and 9 of the airbag 4 do not interfere with the use and operation of the seat belt 50. The presence of the two components 5 and 6 of the airbag and the seat belt 50 integrates a complete autonomous protection system, ensuring maximum protection for the person sitting in the seat regardless of the position and orientation of the seat 1 within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat (1) comprising a backrest (3) structure, a seat pan (2) structure having a submersion prevention hump (14), and an airbag (4) having two components (5, 6) placed on the sides (10, 11) of the seat (1) on both sides of the seat (1) for the person sitting in the seat, Each component (5, 6) of the airbag (4) comprises an airbag cushion (7) and at least one strap (8, 9) sewn to the airbag cushion (7), and the components (5, 6) can be deployed forward of the seat in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby completely surrounding the individual. Each component (5, 6) has at least one strap (8, 9) which has an upper fixing point for securing to the upper region (12) of the structure of the backrest (3) and a lower fixing point for securing to the anti-submersion hump (13, 14) of the structure of the seat pan (2), and each component (5, 6) has at least one strap (8, 9) which extends along one side of the structure of the backrest (3) and along one side of the structure of the seat pan (2), The structure of the backrest (3) comprises a seat cushion (32) and a rigid shell (31) surrounding the seat cushion (32) and opening at the front, so that at least one strap (8, 9) of each component (5, 6) passes between the seat cushion (32) and the rigid shell (31) at one side of the structure of the backrest (3), and the seat comprises a seat belt (50) that is fully integrated inside the seat and has a retractor (56), the retractor is of the backrest (3) The rigid shell (31, 39) is fixed to the structure and positioned inside a receiving portion defined by a front casing (55) located within the upper region (51) of the structure of the backrest (3), and the rigid shell (31, 39) covers the front casing (55) at least partially, thereby forming a space (61) between them, allowing at least one of the two components (5, 6) to pass through the upper region (51) of the structure of the backrest (3), and the shell (31, 39) defines the receiving portion to the rear. A vehicle seat (1) characterized by the following features.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the shell (31) comprises a rear wall (36) configured to rest against the rear surface of the seat cushion (32), two lateral edges (37, 38) configured to rest against two lateral edges (34, 35) of the seat cushion (32), thereby surrounding the at least one strap (8, 9) of each component (5, 6), and an upper edge (39) configured to rest on the front casing (55) enclosing the retractor (56) for the seat belt (50), creating a passage (61) for the at least one strap (8, 9) of one of the two components (5, 6) within the upper region (51) of the structure of the backrest (3).

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the casing (55, 60) of the seat belt (50) has a groove (61) configured for the passage of at least one strap (8, 9) of one of the two components (5, 6), and the shell (31) has a flat segment (39) that covers the groove (61) through which the at least one strap (8, 9) is placed.

4. The sheet according to claim 3, characterized in that the width of the groove (61) is slightly greater than the width of the at least one strap (8, 9) such that the at least one strap (8, 9) is placed in the groove (61) with minimal play.

5. The seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the backrest (3) comprises a main surface (52) configured so as to support the back of the occupant, and two lateral upright portions (34, 35) surrounding the main surface (52) and configured to hold the occupant's back laterally, and the front casing (55) is located within the upper region of one of the two lateral upright portions (34, 35).

6. The vehicle seat according to claim 5, characterized in that the lateral upright portions (34, 35) on which the front casing (55) is located are shortened in advance such that the total length of the upright portions (34, 35) and the front casing (55) is equal to the total length of the other upright portion (34, 35).

7. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front casing (55) has a front surface (57), and the front surface (57) has an opening (58) that allows a portion (59) of the seat belt (50) to extend forward from the front casing (55).

8. The vehicle seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the opening has a cross shape with a slot (58), the length of the slot is greater than the width of the portion (59) of the seat belt that comes out of the front casing (55), and the portion (59) comes out of the slot (58).

9. The vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front casing (55) is closed so that the electric retractor (56) for the seat belt (50) is not visible from the outside of the seat (1).

10. A vehicle comprising at least one seat according to claim 1 or 2.

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