Airbag module

IS 2 183 644 T3

DESCRIPTION

Airbag module.

The invention relates to an airbag module according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is common for airbag modules to be mounted directly in front of the occupant of the vehicle, since the filled gas bag fulfills its protection function, in the event of a frontal impact, symmetrically to the median axis of the occupant's body. Therefore, it is known to arrange the driver's airbag on the steering wheel and the passenger's airbag in front of the occupant on the dashboard. But since there is more and more desire to use the dashboard region, hitherto used for the passenger airbag, for other purposes, the airbag module should be arranged elsewhere.

An airbag is known from DE 196 24 371 A1, which was mounted in the center console of the vehicle. This airbag deploys in the event of a collision essentially transverse to the direction of travel. In this case it is a drawback that the occupant in a forward position of the seat is pushed laterally or that the deployment of the airbag in front of the occupant is totally prevented.

Document US-A-5,575,497 discloses an airbag module arranged in the rear backrest of a vehicle seat, in which the gas bag is made up of gas bag parts connected to each other by means of valves. In the case of a gas bag deployment, a part of the gas bag is first deployed between the occupant of the vehicle and the side door. After a certain pressure has been reached, the valves are opened and, in a second phase, a part of the gas bag is deployed transversely to the occupant of the vehicle along the dashboard area. Also in this arrangement there is a danger that the occupant in a front seating position is propelled laterally through the unfolding gas bag or is totally prevented from deploying the airbag in front of the occupant.

Therefore, the invention has the task of developing an airbag module with a gas bag, which is deployed successively in several directions and in this case last in the direction of the occupant, in the sense that also in the case of an airbag arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in front of the occupant as well as in the lateral part of the necessary direction of action of the airbag in the event of a crash, a safe deployment in the direction of the occupant to be protected is guaranteed.

Following the invention, this task is solved through an airbag module with the characteristics of claim 1.

Accordingly, it was envisaged that the separation of the gas bag into two chambers extends essentially transverse the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, that the gas bag is connected to the module housing in a rotated manner about an axis perpendicular to the connection hole of the gas bag and that in the inflated state of the gas bag it is present for a moment around an axis, Through which the gas bag can be pressed against a part of the vehicle in the region of the first chamber and in this way can be stabilized in its position.

By means of this arrangement of the airbag module it is achieved that the gas bag unfolds first of all in the direction of the axis of the connection hole. If this axis does not extend transversely to the occupant, the gas bag unfolds in a second deployment phase, by virtue of the spacing that extends essentially transversely, transversely to the occupant or to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. By virtue of the provision according to the invention, during the deployment of the first chamber of the gas bag, a moment is obtained through which the gas bag is brought safely to the position necessary for the case of impact with respect to the occupant. In a third deployment phase, the gas then enters the second chamber through the surge orifice, so that the gas bag unfolds in the direction of the occupant. Deployment is in this case carried out from the front in the direction of the occupant, so that there is no danger of the occupant being propelled laterally by the gas bag.

It is convenient that the first chamber is shorter across the gap and, therefore, smaller than the second chamber. In this way, the gas bag can be deployed, in an initial phase, first preferably transversely to the occupant, thereby bringing the gas bag into the necessary position in the event of a crash.

The airbag module was arranged for a passenger airbag in the center of the vehicle in the instrument cluster. The connecting parts for the gas bag are conveniently located on the upper side of the dashboard in this case. The gas bag connection hole is provided, on one side, in a section of the first chamber directed towards the center of the vehicle and the larger overcurrent hole for the connection of the two chambers is provided on the side of the bag. gas, which is directed toward the right side of the vehicle. Additionally, a smaller overcurrent hole is located on the opposite side. Furthermore, the gas bag was connected to the module housing in such a way that it extends, in the extended, not inflated position, inclined in the direction of the passenger, preferably at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. in the direction of the companion. In this case, the windscreen was provided as a stabilizing part of the vehicle for the inflated gas bag. Also in column A it can serve as a stabilizing part of the vehicle.

In such an arrangement following the invention of the occupant airbag module, the gas bag is first deployed upward from the dashboard. The occupant is then deployed transversely in the direction of column A and only then in the direction of the occupant. Due to the described inclined mounting position of the gas bag occurs, in the case of deployment around the joint of the gas bag in this

ES 2 183 644 T3 a positive moment about the vertical axis, so that the gas bag is pressed against the windshield and is thus stabilized.

By mounting the airbag module in the center of the dashboard, the space under the dashboard in the glove compartment region is additionally freed up for further internal structures.

In the passenger airbag, the folded gas bag is housed in a cup-shaped module housing arranged under the dashboard, into which a tube-shaped gas generator projects from below.

In another configuration, a separate bag was provided as a lower chamber in the gas bag. This bag was conveniently connected, respectively, at least on one side with opposite sides of the gas bag, this connection being able to be made directly or through retaining tapes. This achieves the additional advantage of limiting the expansion of the gas bag in this direction and, therefore, in the front passenger airbag described in the vertical direction, thereby favoring a stable surface bearing on the dashboard.

For this arrangement of the airbag according to the invention, a gas bag configured as a 2D gas bag with lower plate and upper plate, which are connected to each other at the periphery, is especially advantageous, the connection hole of the gas bag being provided in the module housing in the bottom plate region.

The bag is conveniently fixed by means of the circumferential seam of the upper plate and the lower plate and was connected in the arc-shaped central region with the upper plate and the lower plate.

In a preferred embodiment, the gas bag is, in the extended position, not inflated, rectangular in shape and has rounded corners.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the gas bag is folded in such a way that, with the gas bag extended with the connection hole down, the largest section of the gas bag that starts from the connection hole is folded down. in the direction of the gas generator and is housed in the module housing, and that the smallest section of the gas bag that starts from the connection hole is in the module housing above the collected part of the gas bag. In this case, the part folded down represents a first part, the part collected on top of the gas bag represents a second part and the smaller section placed on top of the gas bag represents a third part. After the gas bag is turned on, the third part unfolds first, then the second part and finally the first part.

The invention is explained in exemplary embodiments with the aid of drawings. In this case:

Figure 1 shows the deployment path of the gas bag of a passenger airbag module according to the invention.

Figure 2.1 shows a section through a gas bag for a passenger airbag module of Figure 1.

Figure 2.2 shows a top plan view of the gas bag according to figure 2.1

Figures 3.1 to 3.4 show different phases of the deployment of the gas bag seen from above.

Figures 4.1 to 4.8 show different phases of the deployment of the gas bag seen from the side and from above.

Figure 5.1 shows a section through a passenger airbag module arranged according to figure 1 below the dashboard.

Figure 5.2 shows a top plan view of the airbag module according to the figure

5.1.

Figure 6 shows a passenger airbag module according to the invention, which is mounted on the back of the seat.

Figure 7 shows a passenger airbag module according to the invention, which is mounted on the vehicle door.

Figures 8a-c show different embodiments of the airbag module.

Figures 9a-h show different shapes of the airbag housing.

In figure 1, a section of a car is represented with a passenger airbag module arranged according to the invention and with the gas bag deployed in front of a passenger 4. The passenger airbag module with a gas bag 1 is arranged under a dashboard 2 in the center of the car, an outlet hole 3 being provided on the upper side of the dashboard

2, also in the center of the car. This outlet hole 3 was therefore to the left in front of passenger 4, so that a known gas bag was deployed essentially to the left alongside passenger 4 and then upwards and therefore could not offer to this no protection in the event of a frontal collision of the automobile.

As can be deduced from FIG. 1, the arrangement according to the invention has a deployment path such that the gas bag 1, despite the arrangement shown of the outlet orifice

3, unfolds in front of the occupant. The arrow indicates that the gas bag unfolds successively in three directions. It can be recognized that it unfolds first upwards. In a second phase, the passenger 4 is deployed transversely in the direction of the column A 5 of the car along the windshield 6, so that it is now positioned in front of the passenger symmetrically to its median axis S of the body (figure 3.3). Only then does it unfold in the direction of passenger 4.

In the section represented in figure 2.1 through an extended 2D gas bag, for an improved ease of recognition of its parts, it has been represented as if it were slightly full. This gas bag consisted of a lower plate 7 and an upper plate 8 of fabric, which are connected to each other by means of a circumferential seam 9.

Inside the gas bag a one-piece bag 10 was provided in the part of the gas bag

ES 2 183 644 T3 which is associated with the windshield 8 (figures 3.1-3.4). This bag 10 is sewn by means of the circumferential seam 9 on the gas bag. The bag 10 is connected in its central region, furthermore, with the lower plate 7 and with the upper plate 8, respectively, through seams 11 and 12 which extend in an arc shape. In this way, the extension of the bag 10 and of the gas bag 11, respectively, in the vertical direction is limited, which favors a stable surface support of the gas bag on the dashboard 2. The front edge 13 of the bag 10 extends approximately transverse to passenger 4.

The bag 10 forms a first lower chamber, which is shorter, transversely to the front edge 13, than a second chamber 14 formed by the remaining region of the gas bag. In the first chamber 10, on a side directed towards the center of the vehicle, a connection hole 15 is provided for the connection of the gas bag 1 to a module housing 16 (figure 5.1). On the opposite side of the first chamber 10, directed towards the right side of the vehicle, there is provided a second overcurrent orifice 17 towards the second chamber 14. Furthermore, on the side directed towards the center of the vehicle there is another overcurrent orifice 27 for the discharge of the first chamber. The connecting hole 15 is rectangular in shape in the present case and has rounded corners. In front of a longitudinal axis A of the gas bag, which extends after deployment parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car, and also in front of the longitudinal axis C of the connection hole 18 (figure 3.1) in the housing of the module 16 is arranged the longitudinal axis B of the inflow hole 15 rotated 45 ° clockwise. During mounting of the gas bag in the connection hole 18, the gas bag must be rotated 45^° counterclockwise so that both holes 15 and 18 are aligned with each other. Due to the twist of the gas bag, it will extend into the uninflated extended position in the direction of the passenger.

After the gas generator is turned on, the gas bag is deployed from the instrument panel first upwards, as shown in figure 3.1. Angle X^° between the front edge 13 of the bag 10 and the inflow hole 15 corresponds to that of the unused gas bag of figure 2.2. In a second phase, more gas circulates to bag 10, so that it fills, starting from the center of the vehicle, in the direction of column A, that is, essentially transverse to passenger 4, appearing through a force of support k on the windshield 6 a moment M in the embedment of the gas bag in the region of the connection hole 15. In this way the gas bag 1 is rotated in this place, so that folds F are formed, as shown in represented in figure 3.2.

The majority of the gas bag 1, which predominantly encompasses chamber 14, is then filled through the overcurrent port 17 in the direction of companion 4 (Figure 3.3). In this case, the support forces k on the windshield 6 are increased until the moment M rotates the gas bag in the embedment of the gas bag 45^° in the region of the connection hole 15, so that between the longitudinal axis C of the connection of the module housing and the front edge 13 of the bag 10 there is now an angle of X + 45^°. In this case, during subsequent unfolding, larger and larger folds F are formed in the gas bag at the embedment of the gas bag.

From Figures 3.3 and 3.4 it can be recognized that the gas bag 1, despite the asymmetric position of the connection hole 15 with respect to the median axis S of the passenger's body, is positioned symmetrically to the median axis of the body, since continuation unfolds in the direction of the passenger's pelvis 4.

This displayed deployment is supported in a special way by folding the gas bag described below. In this case, the pleat package is made in three parts. As can be recognized from figures 4.1 and 4.2, a first part 23 of the extended gas bag 1 is introduced, during insertion, into the folding device equipped with sliders 19, 20, 21 under a second part 24 these two parts essentially forming the bag 10 and the second chamber 14 of the gas bag. Next, the gas bag 1 is coupled by means of the slides 19 and 20 over the width of the module, as can be deduced from figures 4.3 and 4.4

The gas bag is then pressed by means of the slide 21 and a stamp 22 on the module, as shown in figures 4.5 and 3.6. Finally, the third part 25 is folded over the already pressed part of the gas bag.

From Figures 5.1 and 5.2 it is possible to recognize the position of the gas bag 1 folded into the casing of the module 16. In this a one-piece tube-shaped gas generator 26 is arranged vertically. Essentially next to this is the first part 23 and above this also next to the tube-shaped gas generator 26 is the second part 24, on which is the third part 25, which also extends above the gas generator. tube-shaped 26.

After the gas generator is switched on, the third part 25 of the pleat pack is first deployed from the instrument panel upwards. Next, the second part 24 is deployed, which is essentially formed by the bag 10, and finally the first part 23, which essentially represents the second chamber 14.

Through the application of this folding, the intended deployment path is further optimized according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows a front airbag, in which an airbag module 27 is mounted on the seat back 28. An embodiment for a passenger is shown in the figure. The same embodiment is also possible for the driver's side.

Figure 7 also shows a front airbag, in which an airbag module 30 is mounted on a vehicle door 29. The figure shows the embodiment for a passenger. The same form of realization is

ES 2 183 644 T3 also possible for the driver's side.

Figures 8a to 8c show three different embodiments of the airbag module in side views. It is possible to recognize, respectively, a module housing 31 and 32 of rectangular shape, which have different lateral relationships. To these module housings there is associated, respectively, a tube-shaped gas generator 33 in different positions.

In Figures 9a to 9h, airbag modules are represented in the top plan view. The different shapes of the module casing 34 and the different association of the tube-shaped gas generator 33 can be recognized.