A safety device for a motor vehicle
Abstract
A SAFETY DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDES AN INFLATABLE ITEM THAT IS STORED INITIALLY IN POSITION IN A DOOR FRAME REDUCTION BUT WHEN IT INFLATES, IT EXTENDS BETWEEN THE HEAD OF A PERSON SITTING IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR, OR A DOOR WINDOW. THE DEVICE PROVIDES PROTECTION AGAINST SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENTS OR TIPPING.

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Projected expiry passed 20 February 2016, 10.6 years ago.
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13 claims: 10 independent, 3 dependent
- 1ES 2 153 240 T3 REIVINDICACIONES 1. Dispositivo de seguridad en un vehículo de motor, comprendiendo el dispositivo un generador de gas (5), que incorpora un sensor o se asocia con un sensor adaptado para detectar un choque lateral o un vuelco y para activar el generador de gas, y un elemento inflable (8) conectado al generador de gas para inflarse por gas procedente del generador de gas, teniendo el elemento inflable una porción de borde (7) sujeta a una parte del cerco de la puerta (4) del vehículo, siendo dicha parte del cerco de puerta alineal, situándose el elemento inflable (8), cuando se infla, adyacente a la puerta contenida dentro del marco de la puerta, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable se fabrica de tela que comprende una primera capa para definir la parte frontal del elemento inflable, y una segunda capa para definir una parte posterior del elemento inflable, interconectaíndose partes elegidas de la primera y la segunda capas para definir puntos o líneas donde se sujetan unidas la parte frontal y la parte posterior del elemento inflable, siendo otra parte del elemento inflable una pieza de prolongaciíon (9) que se extiende hasta un punto (10) sobre el cerco de la puerta, incorporando el elemento inflable una pluralidad de celdillas alargadas (8), praícticamente paralelas, siendo las celdillas cilíndricas o coínicas, praícticamente verticales, siendo tal la disposicioín que, cuando se infla el elemento inflable, se reduce la longitud del borde inferior del elemento inflable y el borde inferior del elemento inflable (8), junto con la pieza de prolongacioín (9), se extiende de un modo sustancialmente apretado.
- 2Dispositivo de seguridad seguín la reivindicaciíon 1, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable (8) se almacena inicialmente en un rebajo proporcionado en el marco de la puerta.
- 3Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable (8) se fabrica de capas de tela entretejida, entretejiíendose las partes elegidas referidas de la primera capa y de la segunda capa.
- 4Dispositivo de seguridad seguín la reivindicaciíon 3, caracterizado porque hay un orificio de comunicaciíon interno entre las celdillas (8).
- 5Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque las celdillas (8) estaín mutuamente adyacentes de una forma inmediata.
- 6Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque las celdillas (8) estían separadas unas de otras.
- 7Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones 1 a 6, caracterizado porque la pieza de prolongacioín comprende una tela u hoja (27).
- 8Dispositivo de seguridad seguín la reivindicaciíon 7, caracterizado porque la tela u hoja se extiende hacia delante, con respecto al vehículo de motor, desde el elemento inflable.
- 9Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable se fabrica de una tela que tiene una sola capa con un gramaje de menos de 300 g/m 2 .
- 10Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque, cuando se infla, la presioín en el elemento inflable es de aproximadamente 3 bares.
- 11Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable, cuando se infla, se extiende pasando por la columna B del vehículo.
- 12Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque incorpora medios (31) por separado para aplicar tensiíon a una parte del elemento inflable cuando se infla.
- 13Dispositivo de seguridad seguín cualquiera de las reivindicaciones anteriores, caracterizado porque el elemento inflable estaí provisto de un íorgano (47), montado sobre el elemento inflable (49), adaptado para moverse desde una posicioín inicial hasta otra posicioín al inflarse el elemento inflable, proporcioníandose una disposiciíon de retenciíon (46) sobre la carrocería del vehículo de motor para retener el referido íorgano en dicha otra posiciíon. NOTA INFORMATIVA:Conforme a la reserva del art. 167.2 del Convenio de Patentes Europeas (CPE) y a la Disposición Transitoria del RD 2424/1986, de 10 de octubre, relativo a la aplicacion del Convenio de Patente Europea, las patentes europeas que designen a España y solicitadas antes del 7-10-1992, no producirán ningún efecto en Espana en la medida en que confieran protección a productos químicos y farmaceuticos como tales. Esta informacioón no prejuzga que la patente estóe o no incluóda en la mencionada reserva.
Independent claims13
44 paragraphs in 3 sections, as filed
IS 2 153 240 T3
DESCRIPTION
Safety device for a motor vehicle.
This invention relates to a safety device and more particularly relates to a safety device in a motor vehicle, for example a car.
When a motor vehicle is involved in an accident, there is a risk of injury to the driver and occupants inside the vehicle. It has been proposed to equip vehicles with safety devices to reduce the risk of such injuries.
Certain safety devices are designed to offer protection in the event of a side collision. Document US-A-5322322 describes such a device and presents the characteristics of the preamble of claim 1. An inflatable tube is initially stored in a recess in the door frame above the vehicle door and the ends of the tube are anchored pivotally to fixed points on the door frame. A sensor is provided to detect when an accident occurs and to initiate tube inflation. Then the tube is inflated, its length is reduced and then it extends linearly between the two fixed points on the door frame. The inflated tube offers protection to the head of a person sitting in the vehicle. However, the tube is inflated to a substantial pressure and therefore the head of a person occupying the vehicle may tend to bounce off the tube. The tube may not span the entire area of the window and may not yet span the entire top of the window. Therefore, there is a risk that the head of the occupant of the vehicle may dislodge from the tube and pass through the window opening. This circumstance is undesirable in the event of the vehicle overturning.
This invention aims to provide an improved security device.
According to this invention, a safety device is provided in a motor vehicle, the device comprising a gas generator, which incorporates a sensor or is associated with a sensor adapted to detect a side impact or a rollover and to activate the gas generator. , and an inflatable element connected to the gas generator to be inflated by gas from the gas generator, the inflatable element having an edge portion attached to a part of the door frame of the vehicle, said part of the door frame being non-linear, the inflatable element being located, when inflated, adjacent to the door contained within the door frame, characterized in that the inflatable element is made of fabric comprising a first layer to define the front part of the inflatable element, and a second layer to define a back of the inflatable element, Interconnecting selected parts of the first and second layers to define points or lines where the front part and the back part of the inflatable element are held together, another part of the inflatable element being an extension piece that extends to a point on the fence of the door, the inflatable element incorporating a plurality of elongated cells, practically parallel, the cells being cylindrical or conical, practically vertical, The arrangement being such that, when the inflatable element is inflated, the length of the lower edge of the inflatable element is reduced and the lower edge of the inflatable element, together with the extension piece, extends substantially tightly.
The inflatable element, when inflated, was placed between the head of a person seated in the vehicle and an adjacent door. Usually the door is provided with a window and, therefore, the inflated element offers protection in case of breakage of the window glass, and also avoids that the head of the occupant of the vehicle collides with the window, or is propelled to through the window, as can occur particularly in rollover accidents.
The security device is usually initially stored in a recess provided in the door frame.
Preferably, the inflatable element is made of interwoven fabric layers, with selected parts of the first layer and second layer being interwoven. Preferably internal communication is provided between the cells, which can reduce the undesirable bounce that could occur if the cells were separated and not communicating with each other.
The cells can be immediately adjacent to each other or separated.
The extension piece may comprise a fabric or sheet, which can extend forward, relative to the motor vehicle, from the inflatable element.
The inflatable element can be made of a fabric, parts of the fabric being interwoven to form the cell or cells. The fabric can be single ply with a grammage of less than 300 g / m2<sup>2</sup>, for example a grammage of 175 g / m<sup>2</sup>.
Preferably, when the inflatable element is inflated, the gas pressure is approximately 3 bars. Preferably, the inflatable element, when inflated, extends past column B of the vehicle, to offer protection to the driver's head. In the event that the driver's head collides with the B-column in an accident, the consequences could be fatal.
Separate means may be provided to apply tension to a part of the inflatable element when it is inflated, for example a piston and cylinder, adapted to be displaced by gas from a gas generator when the inflatable element is inflated, to apply tension to an edge. of the inflatable element in order to maintain the inflatable element in a desired position.
In one embodiment, the inflatable element is provided with an organ mounted on the inflatable element, adapted to move from an initial position to another position when the inflatable element is inflated, providing an arrangement mounted on the motor vehicle to retain said organ in said another position. Thus, a slider adapted to slide along a pawl and be retained by the pawl when it has been moved to said other position can be provided.
IS 2 153 240 T3
In order that the invention may be more easily understood and so that other characteristics thereof may be appreciated, the invention will be described below, by way of example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of the interior of a motor vehicle and illustrates a safety device according to the invention in an operating state.
Figure 2 is a side view of a part of the interior of a motor vehicle and illustrates another safety device according to the invention in an operating state.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a part of the embodiment of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a view of a part of Figure 2 and shows a further component of the safety device.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of one form of security device as illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of another form of security device as illustrated in Figure 1; Y
Figure 7 is a view of an alternative inflatable element for use in a motor vehicle.
Referring initially to figure 1, a safety device is illustrated which is intended to offer protection to a person 1 sitting in a seat 2 in the vehicle. In any accident in which the vehicle slows down, the person will tend to move forward towards the steering wheel 3, but will be restrained by the traditional seat belt or the air bag (“airbag”). In the event of a side collision or overturning, there is a risk that the head of person 1 collides with the window of the door next to the person, or collides with column B. There is also the risk that if, as usual occur most of the time, if the window glass is broken, the head of person 1 can be propelled out of the window, especially in the event of a rollover.
The safety device, illustrated in the operating state in figure 1, is initially held in a recess provided in the door frame 4 located above the vehicle door. The recess extends over me than just a linear portion of the door frame, so the two ends of the recess are not in alignment with the main part of the recess.
The safety device comprises a gas generator 5, which is adapted to generate gas, for example cold gas. The gas generator incorporates a sensor, or is associated with a sensor, that detects a side impact and / or rollover situation to activate the gas generator at an appropriate time. The gas generator is connected by a hose 6 to a conduit
7. The duct 7 is part of an inflatable element. The inflatable element incorporates a plurality of cells 8, practically cylindrical, practically vertical and parallel. The inflatable element can be made of woven fabric. Such fabric comprises a first layer that defines the front part of the inflatable element - that is, the part that appears visible in figure 1- and a second layer that defines the back part - that is, the part that is adjacent to the window in the Figure 1 interweaving selected parts of the first layer and the second layer to define points or lines in which the front part and the back part of the inflatable element are held together. A technique for making an inflatable woven fabric element is described in detail in International Patent Application WO90 / 09295.
A thick belt 9, which is part of the inflatable element, extends from the end of the inflatable element, near the conduit 7 that connects to the hose 6, to an anchor point 10 on the door frame 4. The edge of duct 7 between points 11, adjacent to the top of column B 12 and 13, at the bottom of column A, in the region of dashboard 14, is securely attached to door frame 4 . Consequently, it will be understood that the upper edge of the inflatable element has a non-linear configuration that conforms to the non-linear configuration of the upper part of the door frame 4. A substantial part of the upper edge of the inflatable element, in fact virtually the entire edge , attaches to the top of the door frame.
When an accident occurs, for example a side collision, the gas generator generates cold gas that passes through the hose 6 to the conduit 7 and then inflates the cells 8. The inflatable element therefore moves from its initial storage position, within the recess in the door frame, up to the operative position illustrated in figure 1. The inflatable element then extends downwardly from the top of the door frame to form a flat structure located between the head of person 1 and the adjacent window. When the cylindrical cells are inflated, the length of the lower edge 15 of the inflatable element is reduced and, therefore, the lower edge, together with the thick belt 9, extend substantially tightly from point 10 to point 13. It would be observed that the part of the door frame 4, between points 10 and 13, is not linear and defines, with the linear lower edge of the inflated element, a triangular area that is covered by the inflated element.
The bottom edge of the inflated element is reduced by approximately 10% between the deflated state and the inflated state. The inflated element fully inflates in approximately 15 ms. The total thickness of the inflated element, when inflated, is approximately 30-40mm. The interwoven seams on the front and back of the inflated element are spaced approximately 30-40mm apart, so the resulting cells are cylindrical when inflated. The total volume of gas inside the inflated element can be in the order of 7 to 9 liters and the gas can be at a pressure of approximately 3 bars. Although the inflated element is not provided with a vent hole to vent gas from inside the element to the atmosphere, the inflated element, when inflated, remains inflated for a long period of time - to
ES 2 153 240 T3 offer protection in the event of rollover - there is communication between at least some selected cells 8, adjacent, to avoid any serious rebound. Therefore, if the head of the person occupant of the vehicle collides with the inflated element, the pressure of the gas will rise within the whole element, or at least in a substantial part of the element, thus producing a "soft" crash. If each cell were watertight without communication of this type, there would be a serious rebound risk.
The weight of the fabric should be as low as possible, so that if the inflatable element collided with the head of the person occupying the vehicle, when the element was inflated, no damage would occur. It is considered that a material having a grammage of less than 300 g / m can be used<sup>2</sup>, for example 175 g / m<sup>2</sup>.
It was observed that a part of the inflated element extended towards me beyond point 11 and, therefore, was located between the head of person 1 and the top of column B. Therefore, the risk of that the person's head collides with column B. As the top edge of the inflatable element is attached to the top of the door frame along practically its entire length, there is virtually no risk of the occupant's head passing between the top edge of the inflatable element and the top of the door frame. door frame, which would result in the vehicle occupant's head inadvertently protruding from the vehicle body.
Figures 2 to 4 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, an inflatable element 20 is provided that is initially stored in a recess formed in the door frame 21 of a motor vehicle. A gas generator 22 is provided which, again, incorporates a sensor or detector, or is associated with a sensor or detector, which activates the gas generator at an appropriate time. The gas generator is connected to the inflatable element 20 by a conduit 23. The gas generator 22 was located in the frame of the door 21 of the vehicle but, as a variant, it could be located in column B.
The inflatable part 24 of the inflatable element 20 is adapted to be positioned adjacent to the head of an occupant of the motor vehicle, and, towards the rear of the inflatable element, when in the position illustrated in Figure 2, the inflatable part of the element The inflatable extends from the top to the bottom of the inflatable element in a posterior region and subsequently the upper edge of the inflatable part extends downward towards the lower edge of the inflatable element, in a direction directed towards column A 26. The remaining part of the inflatable element comprises a fabric or sheet 27 extending from chamber 24 to the part of the door frame 21 above the door and up to the column A. The fabric or sheet 27 is therefore attached to parts of the door frame that are non-linear. Therefore, it would be understood that, in this embodiment of the invention, the upper edge of the inflatable element is non-linear in shape and has the same configuration as the non-linear part of the door frame extending forward from column B and incorporating column A. The upper edge of the inflatable element, or at least a substantial part of that upper edge, is securely attached to the upper part of the door frame, exiting the body between the upper edge of the curtain and the upper part of the frame. of the door.
Referring to Figure 3, the edge of the leaf 27, which is fastened to the door frame 21 may end in a rib 28 that is housed within a slot 29 formed in the door frame, the mouth of the slot being narrower than the base, so the rib 28 can slide axially into the groove, but cannot escape the groove. A cable 30 is connected to the end of the nerve, as can be seen in figure 4, the cable being connected to a tensioning device 31. The tensioning device may comprise a piston in a cylinder associated with a gas generator to generate gas that displaces the piston within the cylinder, in order to apply tension to the cable 30 and therefore to the rib 28. A ratchet, or A similar device can hold the pistol in place when it has been displaced by gas. The gas generator, which feeds gas to the piston, may be the gas generator 22 or it may be a separate gas generator that fires simultaneously with the main gas generator.
When an accident occurs, the inflatable element 20 is moved from its stored position to the operative position illustrated in FIG. 2, and tension is applied to the inflatable element 20 by the distention of the chamber 24 and by the tension applied to the rib 28. The inflatable member 20 is thus held firmly in place to offer protection to the head of the person seated in the motor vehicle. The thickness of the element 20 and the grammage of the material used should be as described with respect to the embodiment of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the nature of the cells of the inflated element of Figure 1. It will be possible to see that the cells are immediately adjacent to each other and that they are only separated by narrow regions where the fabric that constitutes the front part of the inflated element has been woven with the fabric that constitutes the back of the inflated element. However, Figure 6 illustrates an alternative possibility, in which the regions of the fabric between the interwoven cells are relatively wide, the cells therefore being separated by webs of fabric. The advantage of the latter possibility is that a smaller volume of gas may be required to fully inflate the inflatable element, which means that the inflatable element can be inflated more quickly.
Figure 7 illustrates an alternative form of inflatable element comprising a plurality of cells 60. It could be seen that each cell 60 has a substantially conical shape, the cells being arranged mutually adjacent and mutually parallel. Between the cells are inverted triangular portions 61 where the fabric that constitutes the cells is interwoven.
When cells of this type are inflated, the length of the lower edge of the arrangement is
ES 2 153 240 T3 contracts, while the length of the upper edge of the arrangement remains constant.
Therefore, such an arrangement can be used to ensure that the lower edge of the element, when inflated, is subjected to a certain tension.
While, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the cells are immediately adjacent to each other, it was understood that a similar effect can be achieved if the cells are spaced apart. At least a part of the inverted triangular region 61 can be replaced by replacing it with additional conical cells with an inverted orientation.
Although, in the embodiments of the invention described, the inflatable element manufactured using a technique has been described in which two layers of fabric are interwoven to define points or lines where the front layer and the back layer are interwoven, it would be possible to build embodiments of the invention using two discrete layers of fabric interconnected by stitching.
Contents3
4 sheets
Sheet 1 Sheet 2 Sheet 3 Sheet 4
73 members in 10 offices
Priority claims5
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19950003267 | United Kingdom | – | |
| 9503267 | United Kingdom | A | |
| 9503267 | United Kingdom | A | |
| 99115353 | – | – | – |
| GB19950003267 | – | – | – |
Members73
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|---|---|---|---|
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| GB2297950A | United Kingdom | A | |
| WO9626087A1 | World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) | A1 | |
| AU4852996A | Australia | A | |
| ZA961335B | South Africa | B | |
| AR001351A1 | Argentina | A1 | |
| EP0808257A1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A1 | |
| AU689706B2 | Australia | B2 | |
| CN1181040A | China | A | |
| US5788270A | United States of America | A | |
| GB9816758D0 | United Kingdom | D0 | |
| GB9816767D0 | United Kingdom | D0 | |
| GB2326384A | United Kingdom | A | |
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| GB2333074B | United Kingdom | B | |
| GB2333075B | United Kingdom | B | |
| GB2333076B | United Kingdom | B | |
| EP0950578A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| EP0950579A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| EP0950580A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| EP0950581A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| EP0950578A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| EP0950579A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| EP0950580A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| EP0950581A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| EP0976623A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| EP0976623A3 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| EP0808257B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE69608543D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| ES2146390T3 | Spain | T3 | |
| US6099029A | United States of America | A | |
| DE69608543T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| EP0950581B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE69611311D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| ES2153240T3This record | Spain | T3 | |
| DE69611311T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| US6312009B1 | United States of America | B1 | |
| EP0976623B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| EP0950580B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| EP0950579B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE69617475D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| DE69617758D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| US2002008370A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| US2002008371A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| DE69618632D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| CN1081997C | China | C | |
| EP0950578B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE69617475T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| DE69618632T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| DE69617758T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| DE69621051D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| US6402192B2 | United States of America | B2 | |
| ES2168831T3 | Spain | T3 | |
| ES2169583T3 | Spain | T3 | |
| ES2169584T3 | Spain | T3 | |
| CN1369396A | China | A | |
| CN1369397A | China | A | |
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| US6494480B2 | United States of America | B2 | |
| DE69621051T2 | Germany | T2 | |
| US2003047921A1 | United States of America | A1 | |
| US6623031B2 | United States of America | B2 | |
| CN1176823C | China | C | |
| CN1179858C | China | C |
1 legal event, as the office reported them to INPADOC
Events
| Event | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Definitive protectionFG2A | FG2A |
Numbers
- Publication
- 2153240
- Publication, DOCDB
- 2153240
- Publication, EPODOC
- ES2153240T
- Application
- 99115353
- Application, DOCDB
- 99115353
- Application, EPODOC
- ES19990115353T
Titles2
- Spanish
- DISPOSITIVO DE SEGURIDAD PARA UN VEHICULO DE MOTOR
- English
- SAFETY DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE.
Classification
- CPC, 11
- B60R21/2338
- B60R21/08
- B60R21/213
- B60R21/232
- B60R22/195
- B60R2021/161
- B60R2021/23316
- B60R2021/23386
- B60R2021/23504
- B60R2021/23509
- B60R2021/23547
- IPC, 9
- B60R21 08
- B60R21 16
- B60R21 21
- B60R21 213
- B60R21 232
- B60R21 233
- B60R21 2338
- B60R21 235
- B60R22 195