Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 20010038199A1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Fischer, Anton
• Granted Patent: US 6,543,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a gas supply means which has an outer housing with at least two outlet openings. The restraint system further comprises at least two inflatable elements to which different outlet openings are associated and which are filled in parallel via the associated outlet openings. The outlet openings are designed such that during inflation of the elements gas flow rates through the individual outlet openings to the inflatable elements are different.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a gas supply means which has an outer housing with at least two outlet openings, and comprising at least two inflatable elements to which different outlet openings are associated and which are filled in parallel via said associated outlet openings, said outlet openings being designed such that during inflation of said elements gas flow rates through said individual outlet openings to said inflatable elements are different.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said inflatable elements have predetermined filling volumes, said outlet openings and said filling volumes of said inflatable elements being adjusted to each other such that said gas supply means can generate different internal pressures in said individual inflatable elements.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said outlet openings have different cross-sections.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said outlet openings are arranged such that directly upstream of all of said outlet openings the same pressure exists.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 4

, wherein said gas supply means comprises a gas generator which is accommodated in said outer housing, and wherein between said gas generator and said outer housing a pressure compensation space is formed.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein a non-inflatable connecting member is provided, at least two of said inflatable elements being coupled with each other via said non-inflatable connecting member.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein gas bags are provided which may be divided into chambers, said gas bags forming said inflatable elements.

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 7

, wherein said gas bags forming said inflatable chambers are separate from each other.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 1

, wherein said inflatable elements and said gas supply means form a gas bag module, and wherein said gas bag module is a side gas bag module adapted to be disposed along a roof frame of a vehicle, said side gas bag module comprising at least one inflatable element adapted to partly cover at least one side pane of said vehicle.

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in claims 5, wherein said gas supply means has two axial ends and said outlet openings are disposed at said axial ends, and wherein said gas generator is disposed at a roof frame behind a vehicle front seat and in front of a seat of a rear occupant, one inflatable element each extending from said axial ends of said gas supply means to the front and to the rear.

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 9

, wherein as an inflatable element a gas bag is provided extending along a front roof frame and covering this part of said roof frame, said gas bag being in flow connection with said gas supply means.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system as claimed in

claim 11

, wherein said gas bag extending along said front roof frame constitutes an elongated tube, below which tube in an inflated condition a gas bag is disposed which at least partly covers a front side pane.