Assembly consisting of a vehicle body part and of a gas bag module

• US 20040094939A1
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Debler, Jens, Lutz, Joachim, Schultz, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US10/699,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20040094939A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• 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

An assembly consists of a gas bag module (16; 16′; 116; 216; 316; 416; 516; 616) and a vehicle body part (10; 510) including a ventilation channel (34; 134; 234; 334; 434; 534; 634) for ventilating a front windscreen. The ventilation channel is arranged between the front windscreen (12; 112; 212; 312; 412; 512; 612) and the gas bag module. The gas bag module (16; 16′; 116; 216; 316; 416; 516; 616) has a gas bag (52; 52′; 52″; 152; 252; 352; 452; 552; 652) folded to form a gas bag package and a gas lance (54; 54′; 54″; 154; 254; 354; 454; 554; 454″; 654) through which gas can be directed into the gas bag. The gas bag module has an ejection opening (50; 50′; 50″; 150; 250; 350; 450) through which the gas bag can be ejected on inflation. The gas bag package comprises first and second partial packages, of which the first partial package (52a; 152a; 252a; 352a; 452a; 552a; 652a) is arranged closer to the ejection opening, whereas the second partial package (52b; 152b; 252b; 352b; 452b; 552b; 652b) is arranged further away with respect to the ejection opening. The gas lance (54; 54′; 54″; 154; 154″; 254; 354; 454; 554; 454″; 654) is arranged in the gas bag module such that only the first partial package (52a; 152a; 252a; 352a; 452a; 552a; 652a) is situated between the ejection opening (50; 50′; 50″; 150; 250; 350; 450) and the gas lance.

Claims

1. An assembly consisting of a gas bag module (16;

16′

;

116;

216;

316;

416;

516;

616) and a vehicle body part (10;

510) including a ventilation channel (34;

134;

234;

334;

434;

534;

634) for ventilating a front windscreen, said ventilation channel being arranged between said front windscreen (12;

112;

212;

312;

412;

512;

612) and said gas bag module, said gas bag module (16;

16′

;

116;

216;

316;

416;

516;

616) having a gas bag (52;

52′

;

52″

;

152;

252;

352;

452;

552;

652) folded to form a gas bag package and a gas lance (54;

54′

;

54″

;

154;

254;

354;

454;

554;

454″

;

654) through which gas can be directed into said gas bag, said gas bag module having an ejection opening (50;

50′

;

50″

;

150;

250;

350;

450) through which said gas bag can be ejected on inflation, characterized in that said gas bag package comprises first and second partial packages, of which said first partial package (52a;

152a;

252a;

352a;

452a;

552a;

652a) is arranged closer to said ejection opening, whereas said second partial package (52b;

152b;

252b;

352b;

452b;

552b;

652b) is arranged further away with respect to said ejection opening, and said gas lance (54;

54′

;

54″

;

154;

154″

;

254;

354;

454;

554;

454″

;

654) is arranged in said gas bag module such that only said first partial package (52a;

152a;

252a;

352a;

452a;

552a;

652a) is situated between said ejection opening (50;

50′

;

50″

;

150;

250;

350;

450) and said gas lance.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said first partial package (52a;

152a;

252a;

352a;

452a;

552a;

652a) is smaller than said second partial package (52b;

152b;

252b;

352b;

452b;

552b;

652b).

3. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said first partial package (52a;

152a;

252a;

352a;

452a;

552a;

652a) is folded in a first way and said second package (52b;

152b;

252b;

352b;

452b;

552b;

652b) is folded in a second way.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas lance (54;

54′

;

54″

;

154;

254;

454;

554;

654) is arranged in a vicinity of said ejection opening (50;

50′

;

50″

;

150;

250;

350;

450).

5. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas bag module (216;

316) has a housing (240;

340) with an ejection channel (248;

348) which opens out into said ejection opening (250;

350), said ejection channel (248;

348) being delimited by a first ejection channel wall (242;

342) which is formed by said housing, and by a second ejection channel wall (246;

346) which is formed by said vehicle body part (230;

334).

6. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said second ejection channel wall is formed by a splashboard of said vehicle.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said vehicle body part has a frame support, said second ejection channel wall being formed by said frame support.

8. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said second ejection channel wall (346) is formed by said ventilation channel (334).

9. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said ejection channel (248;

348) is angled with respect to a remainder of said housing (140;

340), so that said gas bag (150;

350) undergoes a change of direction on ejection.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that said ejection channel (148;

348) is angled such that said gas bag (150;

350) on ejection is ejected substantially parallel to said front windscreen (112;

312).

11. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas lance (54) has ends and a center and is provided with gill-like outflow openings (56).

12. The assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said gill-like outflow openings (56) are aligned such that gas flowing out from said gas lance (54) flows towards said ends of said gas lance (54).

13. The assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said gill-like outflow openings (56) are aligned such that gas flowing out from said gas lance (54) flows towards said center of said gas lance (54).

14. The assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said gill-like outflow openings (56) are aligned such that gas flowing out from said gas lance (54) is swirled.

15. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas bag module has separate gas generators for driver'"'"'s and passenger'"'"'s sides.

16. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas bag module has a common gas generator for driver'"'"'s and passenger'"'"'s sides.

17. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting tube (184;

184′

;

484) is arranged between said gas lance (154;

154′

;

454) and said gas generator (164;

464).

18. The assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said connecting tube (184) is connected in said center of said gas lance (154′

).

19. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas generator (164) is connected with said gas lance (154;

154′

) by means of a detachable connection (186).

20. The assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said detachable connection is formed by a connecting clip (186) which embraces said gas generator (164) in a region of said outflow openings (188).

21. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said housing (640) is arranged on said ventilation channel (634).

22. The assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that said housing (640) is constructed in one piece with said ventilation channel (634).

23. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a length of said gas bag module is defined, which is measured along an extent of said gas lance, said length amounting to at least 260 mm.

24. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a length of said gas bag module is defined, which is measured along an extent of said gas lance, said length amounting to at least 480 mm.

25. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a width of said gas bag module is defined, which is measured transversely to a length and substantially parallel to a plane formed through said ejection opening, said width amounting to approximately 50 to 90 mm.

26. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a height of said gas bag module is defined, which is measured transversely to a length and to a width of said gas bag module and amounts to approximately 70 to 110 mm.

27. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said gas bag has a volume of 110-140 litres.