Airbag module comprising a gas generator and an airbag

p0001The invention relates to an airbag module with a gas generator and gas bag according to the preamble of claim 1.

p0002It is known in airbag modules to arrange the gas generator within the gas bag. So from the<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP0633168B1"><text>EP 0 633 168 B1</text></patcit> Discloses an air bag module in which a gas generator is provided in the gas bag in a pocket which has at its lower end an opening in the form of labyrinth-like overlapping tabs sewn at the lateral edges. The pocket has reinforcements at the front sides. The reinforcement at one end has an opening with a cross-section, which approximately corresponds to the cross-section of the tube gas generator. This opening is tightly closed by a flange on the tube gas generator after its assembly. The reinforcement on the other end face has an opening with a cross-section that approximately corresponds to the cross-section of a fastening bolt on the tube gas generator. This opening is closed after its assembly by a nut with sealing ring. The electrical connection cable of the tubular gas generator is led out of the gas bag at its flange side. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the fastening and cover on the flange side is complex and leads to a high material and assembly effort.

p0003From the <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE19510383A1"><text>DE 195 10 383 A1</text></patcit> An airbag device is known in which a gas bag has a main opening which allows the introduction of a gas generator therein and a secondary opening through which an electrical connection between the gas generator and a source of energy is made possible. The main opening acts as a venting hole in order to let the gas generated by the gas generator emerge from the airbag. This main opening is provided laterally in a lower part of the gas bag. The secondary opening is provided centrally in the lower part of the gas bag. At this point, the gas generator is attached to a base plate.

p0004The disadvantage of this arrangement is that there are two openings for the gas generator in the gas bag, one for the introduction of the gas generator and the second for the extraction of the electrical connection.

p0005An airbag module with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from the <figref idrefs="f0003 f0004">5 to 7</figref> of the <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="DE202004000170U1"><text>DE 20 2004 000 170 U1</text></patcit> known.

p0006The object of the invention is to simplify the design of the airbag module.

p0007According to the invention, this is achieved in accordance with the features of claim 1. In an airbag module with a gas generator which has an electrical connection and a gas bag which has a gas generator opening for introducing the gas generator into the gas bag, the gas generator opening being sealable by at least one tissue part, the gas generator and its electrical connection are in the region of the gas generator opening And the at least one fabric part is arranged and formed in such a way that the gas generator opening is sealed by the at least one fabric part during or after the gas bag unfolding in the region of the gas generator and / or on the electrical connection.

p0008With this arrangement, there is the advantage that no special opening is necessary for the extraction of the electrical connection of the gas generator from the gas bag. A further advantage is that the gas generator opening is only sealed by a tissue part of the gas bag and that no flange or a tight screw connection is required for this purpose.

p0009Furthermore, it is provided that, when the gas bag is folded, the gas generator is arranged in the gas generator opening and protrudes with a section from the gas bag, in that the electrical connection of the gas generator is provided on a section of the gas generator which is outside the gas bag, and the at least one tissue part covering the gas generator opening is provided Is designed such that it closes the gas generator opening during or after deployment of the gas bag behind the gas generator so that the gas generator is completely in the gas bag.

p0010Accordingly, the gas generator with the electrical connection projects out of the gas bag before deployment. Only during the unfolding of the gas bag the gas bag is pressed outwards until the gas generator is completely in the gas bag. During or after the unfolding of the gas bag, the fabric part then closes the gas generator opening behind the gas generator.

p0011The gas generator opening can be sealed by the at least one tissue part covering the gas generator opening being designed in such a way that it rests against the electrical connection during and / or after the deployment of the gas bag. The fabric part remains deformed by the electrical connection in this embodiment.

p0012In another embodiment, it is provided that the gas bag is designed in the region of the gas generator opening and / or a connecting plug for the connection of a connecting cable to the gas generator in such a way that the connector is separated from the gas generator during the unfolding of the gas bag so that the at least one covering cover, Tissue part closes the gas bag without an intermediate component. In this case, the fabric part is undeformed after the unfolding of the gas bag, ie the originally sewn-in position takes up again.

p0013One possibility for realizing this embodiment is that the connecting plug is designed such that it projects beyond the diameter of the gas generator and that the gas bag has an annular reinforcement in the region of the gas generator opening whose diameter corresponds approximately to the diameter of the gas generator. When the gas bag is deployed, the edge of the gas generator opening is pressed against the section of the connector protruding beyond the gas generator, and because of the reinforcement, the unfolding gas bag is able to push the connector out of the gas generator.

p0014It is expedient that two overlapping tissue parts covering the gas generator opening are provided. This is particularly advantageous when the tissue parts are intended to cover the gas generator opening on the electrical connection. In this case, the connection of both tissue parts is enclosed on all sides.

p0015The arrangement according to the invention is particularly advantageously applicable when a gas generator is provided as the gas generator and has the electrical connection on one end face.

p0016The invention is to be explained in embodiments by means of drawings. Show it:<dl id="dl0001"><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A section through a folded gas bag with a tissue part for covering the gas generator opening;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The view A of the gas bag arrangement according to FIG <figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref>;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The Gassack after <figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref> After deployment of the gas bag;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The view B of the gas bag arrangement according to FIG <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref>;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A section through a folded gas bag with two fabric parts for covering the gas generator opening in a first embodiment;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The view C of the gas bag arrangement according to FIG <figref idrefs="f0003">FIG</figref>;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The Gassack after <figref idrefs="f0003">FIG</figref> After deployment of the gas bag;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The view D of the gas bag arrangement according to FIG <figref idrefs="f0004">FIG</figref>;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A section through a folded gas bag with two fabric parts for covering the gas generator opening not according to the invention;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>The view E of the gas bag arrangement according to FIG <figref idrefs="f0005">FIG</figref>.</dd></dl>

p0017In the arrangement of the <figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref> A section of an airbag module is shown. A tube gas generator 1 is arranged in a gas bag 2 in such a way that it projects out of the gas bag 2 through a gas generator opening 3. An electrical connection in the form of a device plug 4 and a connecting cable 10 is provided on the end face of the section 1a of the tube gas generator 1 projecting from the gas bag 2. In the region of the gas generator opening 3, a tissue part 5 is provided on the outside of the gas bag 2 which is intended to close the gas generator opening 3 after the gas bag 2 has been deployed. The fabric part 5 can also be attached to the inside of the gas bag. The<figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref> Shows the gas bag 2 in a folded position. As particularly from the<figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref> The fabric part 5 is connected to the gas bag at the bottom and laterally by seams 6. As further from the<figref idrefs="f0001">FIG</figref> The top edge 7 of the fabric part 5, which is not connected to the gas bag 2, is pressed downwards during the assembly of the tube gas generator and, following its assembly, bears against the underside thereof, the fabric part 5 forming folds 8. In a manner known per se, the tube gas generator is fastened to a support (not shown) in the airbag module by means of bolts 9, which protrude from the gas bag 2 at the bottom.

p0018When the gas bag 2 is deployed, it is pushed over the section 1a of the tube gas generator 1, which protrudes first from it, and via the appliance plug 4, as can be seen from FIG <figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref> . The upper edge 7 of the fabric part 5 pressed downwards by the tubular gas generator 1 is now pressed into its initial position, and the fabric part 5 closes the gas generator opening 3 as shown in FIG<figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref> . Only the connecting cable 10 connected to the device plug 4 extends outwards between the gas bag 1 and the tissue part 5. As a result of the pressure in the gas bag 2 upon its deployment, the connecting cable 10 is clamped between the latter and the fabric part 5, and its outlet point is at least almost gas-tightly closed. In the<figref idrefs="f0002">FIG</figref> The gas bag 2 and the tissue part 5 are shown at a distance for the sake of clarity.

p0019In the embodiment of FIG <figref idrefs="f0003">FIG</figref> A section 1a of the tube gas generator 1 likewise projects out of the gas bag 2 in the folded position. In this embodiment, two fabric parts are provided for closing the gas generator opening 3. These fabric parts are attached to the inside of the gas bag. In this case, an upper fabric part 11 is connected to the gas bag at the top and side by seams 13, while a lower fabric part 12 is connected at the bottom and laterally by seams 14 to the gas bag. The lower edge 15 of the fabric part 11 and the upper edge 16 of the fabric part 12 are not connected to the gas bag 2 so that between them the tube gas generator 1 can be pushed into the gas bag. Both tissue parts overlap as shown in FIGS<figref idrefs="f0003 f0004">FIGS. 6 to 8</figref> Is recognizable. When the tube gas generator 1 is inserted into the gas bag 2, therefore, folds 17 are formed on the upper fabric part 11 and folds 18 on the lower fabric part 12 as shown in FIG<figref idrefs="f0003">FIG</figref> .

p0020In this embodiment, the gas bag 2 has, in the region of the gas generator opening 3, an annular reinforcement 19 which is applied externally to the gas bag 2. This reinforcement 19 is assigned a device plug 20, which projects beyond the gas generator as shown in FIG<figref idrefs="f0003">FIG</figref> Is recognizable.

p0021When the gas bag 2 is deployed, the gas bag 2 is pushed over the section 1a of the gas generator 1 which previously protrudes therefrom as shown in FIG <figref idrefs="f0004">FIG</figref> . By means of the reinforcement 19, the device plug 20 is furthermore pressed out of the tubular gas generator 1. As a result, the edges 15, 16 of the fabric parts 11, 12, which have previously been pushed upwards or downwards by the tubular gas generator, can return into their initial position and close the gas generator opening 3, as can be seen from FIGS<figref idrefs="f0004">FIGS. 7 and 8</figref> Is recognizable. As a result of the increased pressure in the gas bag 2 upon its deployment, the overlapping portion 12a of the fabric part 12 is pressed against the overlapping portion 11a of the fabric part 11 so that the gas bag 2 is at least nearly gas-tightly closed.

p0022Both <figref idrefs="f0005">Figures 9 and 10</figref> As in the previous embodiment, an upper fabric part 21 and a lower fabric part 22 are provided which overlap. The gas generator is arranged completely in the gas bag in the folded position of the gas bag 2. Only the appliance plug 23 projects from the gas generator opening 3 and the overlapping sections of the tissue parts 21 and 22 rest on the appliance plug 23. The<figref idrefs="f0005">Figures 9 and 10</figref> Show the gas bag in a folded position.

p0023When the gas bag 2 is unfolded, the overlapping sections of the fabric parts 21 and 22 rest tightly against the appliance plug 23 so that the gas bag is at least almost gas-tightly closed. A separate representation of this position of the tissue parts has been omitted, since it essentially corresponds to the position shown in FIGS<figref idrefs="f0005">Figures 9 and 10</figref> , Whereby the fabric parts 21 and 22 are closer to the appliance plug 23.

p0024In all of the illustrated embodiments, the advantage is that the gas generator opening is used both for introducing the gas generator into the gas bag and for removing the electrical connection.