External airbag system

• US 10,046,729 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Dalphi Metal Espana SA (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Dalphi Metal Espana SA (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Perez Garcia, Azucena, Core Almarza, Emiliano, Casanova Mateo, Andres, Weiss, Christian, Pichler, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gooden, Jr., Barry
• Application Number:
  US15/103,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20160355152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26058 using a combination of inflators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

The present invention provides for an advantageous external side airbag system (1), comprising at least one airbag (3, 3a-3c) with at least one dedicated inflator (5a-5c). The external airbag system is characterized in that at least one airbag has in a folded state an elongated shape that extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and is configured to be integrated in a side structure (19) of a vehicle, and in particular between a rocker panel (21) and a sill cover (31) of a vehicle.

Claims

1. An external airbag system (1), comprising at least one airbag (3) with at least one dedicated inflator (5a-5c), the at least one airbag (3) having a first chamber (47″

) and at least one second chamber (47, 47′

),

wherein the at least one airbag (3) has in a folded state an elongated shape that extends in a longitudinal direction and is integrated in a side structure (19) of a vehicle (K) outside of a vehicle'"'"'s occupant compartment and between a rocker panel (21) and a sill cover (31) of the vehicle, and

in an inflated state of the at least one airbag (3), the at least one second chamber (47, 47′

) covers doors of the vehicle (K), and the first chamber (47″

) at least partially surrounds the at least one second chamber (47, 47′

) and covers both the sill cover (31) and pillars (23, 25, 27) of the vehicle (K).

2. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein fixation means (7a-c) are provided for fixing the at least one inflator (5a-5c) and the at least one airbag (3) to the rocker panel (21) of the vehicle (K).

3. The external airbag system according to the claim 1, wherein there are at least three inflators (5a-5c) provided that are substantially regularly distributed over an entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof.

4. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a pre-crash sensing system being adapted to detect a collision object and upon detection to fully deploy the at least one airbag before physical contact with the collision object, wherein the pre-crash sensing system comprises at least one sensor for sensing the collision object.

5. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein at least one airbag (3) comprises a double-layer fabric.

6. A vehicle comprising an external airbag system according to claim 1.

7. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein in the folded state, the airbag (3) continuously extends along a complete length of the rocker panel (21), and continuously extends from an A-pillar (23), over a B-pillar (25) and to a C-pillar (27).

8. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the first chamber (47″

) has a first region that covers an A-pillar (23), a second region that covers a B-pillar (25), and a third region that covers a C-pillar (27), the second region of the first chamber (47″

) extends further in a vertical direction (V) than the first and third regions of the first chamber (47″

), and the at least one second chamber (47, 47″

) is positioned in both a space between the first and second regions of the first chamber (47″

) and a space between the second and third regions of the first chamber (47″

).

9. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein each chamber (47, 47′

, 47″

) receives inflation gas from a dedicated inflator such that the separate chambers (47, 47′

, 47″

) may contain different pressure levels in the inflated state of the airbag (3).

10. The external airbag system according to claim 9, wherein the separate chambers (47, 47′

, 47″

) are arranged adjacent to each other and are distributed uniformly or non-uniformly over an entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof, wherein the separate chambers contain different sizes and shapes.

11. The external airbag system according to the claim 1, wherein the at least one airbag (3) comprises at least one internal tether (35, 35′

) that is attached to internal walls (41a, 41b) of the at least one airbag (3) and constructed such that the at least one airbag (3) deploys in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the at least one airbag (3).

12. The external airbag system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one internal tether (35, 35′

) extends in the inflated airbag in a vertical direction (V) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the folded airbag and is attached to the internal walls (41a, 41b) that are arranged on opposite sides with respect to a plane (C) that cuts a longitudinal axis of the at least one airbag (3).

13. The external airbag airbag system according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) is provided that are strap-shaped and substantially regularly distributed in at least one row over an entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof.

14. The external airbag system according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) is arranged in at least two layers that are arranged a distance from each other in a vertical direction (V) of the at least one airbag (3).

15. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein a first plurality of internal tethers (35) are arranged in parallel in a first common plane (A) and a second plurality of internal tethers (35′

) are arranged in parallel in a second common plane (B), the first plurality of internal tethers (35) being positioned vertically above the second plurality of internal tethers (35′

), each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) having first and second ends (37, 39) that are connected to opposing internal walls (41a, 41b) of the airbag (3), the first ends (37) of each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) being spaced at a different vertical distance from each other than the second ends (39) of each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

).

16. The external airbag system according to claim 15, wherein the first ends (37) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) are spaced at a shorter vertical distance from each other than the second ends (39) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) so that in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the airbag (3) extends substantially in a vertical direction (V).

17. The external airbag system according to claim 15, wherein the second ends (39) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) are spaced at a shorter vertical distance from each other than the first ends (37) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) so that in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the airbag (3) extends in a vertical direction (V) and substantially in a horizontal direction (H) away from the side structure (19) of the vehicle (K).

18. An external airbag system (1), comprising at least one airbag (3) with at least one dedicated inflator (5a-5c);

a first plurality of internal tethers (35) being arranged in parallel in a first common plane (A) and a second plurality of internal tethers (35′

) being arranged in parallel in a second common plane (B), the first plurality of internal tethers (35) being positioned vertically above the second plurality of internal tethers (35′

), each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) having first and second ends (37, 39) that are connected to opposing internal walls (41a, 41b) of the airbag (3), the first ends (37) of each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) being spaced at a different vertical distance from each other than the second ends (39) of each of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

);

wherein the at least one airbag (3) has in a folded state an elongated shape that extends in a longitudinal direction and is integrated in a side structure (19) of a vehicle (K) outside of a vehicle'"'"'s occupant compartment and between a rocker panel (21) and a sill cover (31) of the vehicle.

19. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein fixation means (7a-c) are provided for fixing the at least one inflator (5a-5c) and the at least one airbag (3) to the rocker panel (21) of the vehicle (K).

20. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein a size and shape of the at least one airbag (3) in an inflated state is such that it is adapted to cover at least partially the doors and a B-pillar (25) of the vehicle.

21. The external airbag system according to the claim 18, wherein the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) are constructed such that the at least one airbag (3) deploys in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the at least one airbag (3).

22. The external airbag system according to the claim 18, wherein there are at least three inflators (5a-5c) provided that are substantially regularly distributed over an entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof.

23. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein an interior of the at least one airbag (3) comprises a single chamber which is adapted to receive an inflation gas from the at least one inflator (5a-5c) to establish a substantially uniform pressure level in the single chamber.

24. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein two or more separate airbags (3a-3c) are provided and arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction (L) of the airbags (3a-3c), which are adapted to cover in an inflated state different parts of the side structure (19), and wherein the two or more separate airbags (3a-3c) arranged adjacent to each other are connected to each other via a non-inflatable fabric (53).

25. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein the first ends (37) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) are spaced at a shorter vertical distance from each other than the second ends (39) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) so that in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the airbag (3) extends substantially in a vertical direction (V).

26. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein the second ends (39) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) are spaced at a shorter vertical distance from each other than the first ends (37) of the first and second plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) so that in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the airbag (3) extends in a vertical direction (V) and substantially in a horizontal direction (H) away from the side structure (19) of the vehicle (K).

27. The external airbag system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one airbag (3) has a first chamber (47″

) and at least one second chamber (47, 47′

), and in an inflated state of the at least one airbag (3), the at least one second chamber (47, 47′

) covers doors of the vehicle (K), and the first chamber (47″

) at least partially surrounds the at least one second chamber (47, 47′

) and covers both the sill cover (31) and pillars (23, 25, 27) of the vehicle (K).

28. The external airbag system according to claim 27, wherein in the inflated state of the airbag (3), the first chamber (47″

) has a first region that covers an A-pillar (23), a second region that covers a B-pillar (25), and a third region that covers a C-pillar (27), the second region of the first chamber (47″

) extends further in a vertical direction (V) than the first and third regions of the first chamber (47″

), and the at least one second chamber (47, 47″

) is positioned in both a space between the first and second regions of the first chamber (47″

) and a space between the second and third regions of the first chamber (47″

).