Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 20050035577A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Barko, Thomas, Fellhauer, Joachim
• Application Number:
  US10/917,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0023 Offset collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a front gas bag, a side gas bag separate therefrom, which in the inflated state extends up to the inflated front gas bag, and a control unit for activating the gas bags. The control unit is programmed so that it activates both gas bags with at least one of a frontal impact, a laterally displaced frontal impact and with an impact from obliquely front.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising

a front gas bag (3),

a side gas bag (5) separate therefrom, which in the inflated state extends up to said inflated front gas bag (3),

a control unit (35) for activating said gas bags (3, 5),

the control unit (35) being programmed so that it activates both gas bags (3, 5) with at least one of a frontal impact, a laterally displaced frontal impact and with an impact from obliquely front.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit (35) is programmed so that with a laterally displaced frontal impact and with an impact from obliquely front, it activates both gas bags (3, 5).

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) begins at a front and to a side of an associated 50% occupant and extends forward.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) has a longitudinal extent of 400 to 1000 mm in longitudinal direction of a vehicle in which said restraint system is mounted.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) begins at least approximately 400 mm in front of an associated backrest (13), in order to extend forward in longitudinal direction of a vehicle in which said restraint system is mounted.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said side gas bag (5) is housed underneath a window in one of a side wall and a door (7) of a vehicle in which said restraint system is mounted.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) extends downwards from a window sill (9).

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) has a height (h) of 300 to 550 mm.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said side gas bag (5) in its fully inflated state has a maximum internal pressure which is greater than that of said fully inflated front gas bag (3).

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 9, wherein said internal pressure of said side gas bag (5) in its fully inflated state is greater than that of said front gas bag (3) at least by the factor 2.

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said inflated side gas bag (5) and said inflated front gas bag (3), viewed transversely to a longitudinal direction of a vehicle in which said restraint system is mounted, intersect each other and have overlap sections adjoining each other.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein an additional, second side gas bag (11) is provided, which in its inflated state is arranged immediately to a side of an associated occupant (I) and is separate from said first side gas bag (5).

13. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 12, wherein said control unit (35) is constructed so that it activates said additional, second side gas bag (11) in a side impact.

14. A vehicle occupant restraint system with a front gas bag (3) and a side gas bag (5) separate therefrom, which begins in front of an occupant and extends along a vehicle door (5) to at least beside said front gas bag (3).