Vehicle occupant protection system

• US 20020084633A1
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Rothweiler, Steffen, Heigl, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 6,634,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/195 with means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel typeelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/32 Devices for releasing in an emergency, e.g. after an accident ; Remote or automatic unbuckling devices unlocking devices for retractors B60R22/3416

Abstract

A vehicle occupant protection system comprises an inflatable gas bag, a tensioning band which is tensioned in the case of inflation of the gas bag so that the tensioning band has a tension, and a device which at the end of a predetermined period of time after inflation of the gas bag reduces the tension of the tensioning band.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection system comprising

an inflatable gas bag,

a tensioning band which is tensioned in the case of inflation of said gas bag so that said tensioning band has a tension, and

a device which at the end of a predetermined period of time after inflation of said gas bag reduces said tension of said tensioning band.

2. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said gas bag is a side gas bag curtain.

3. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning band is directly connected with said device.

4. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a medium having a high viscosity.

5. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a medium having a variable viscosity.

6. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 5, wherein said medium is an electrorheological or magnetorheological fluid.

7. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 4, wherein said device having parts, and wherein said medium having a high viscosity is contained in a sack which tears as of a predetermined tension, subsequently said medium flowing out being displaced by said parts in said device which are moved with respect to each other.

8. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 4, wherein said device comprises a component which is arranged in said medium.

9. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 8, wherein said component is moved in said medium after said tensioning band having been tensioned.

10. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a locking mechanism which is locked by tensioning of said tensioning band and is unlocked by a lessening of an internal pressure of said gas bag.

11. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises a coupling which detaches said tensioning band from said device at the end of said predetermined period of time.

12. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning band is connected at one end with a tightening device.

13. The vehicle occupant protection system according to claim 12, wherein said device is arranged at an end of said tensioning band opposite to said end with said tensioning device.