Vehicle occupant restraint device

• US 20060226642A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Britz, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,431,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint device having a gas bag module includes a gas generator for inflating a gas bag, at least one discharge opening that is formed in a rigid component of the gas bag module, through which gas that is produced by the gas generator and conveyed into the gas bag can be discharged, and at least one closing device for the discharge opening. The closing device has an adjusting device and a plurality of covers of different pressure sensitivities. A specific one of said covers is placed in front of the discharge opening by the adjusting device even before the gas bag module is activated, so as to close the discharge opening until a pre-established gas bag interior pressure is reached that is associated with the specific cover, and, when this interior pressure is exceeded, to at least partially release the discharge opening through bursting.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint device having a gas bag module (12), comprising

a gas generator (14) for inflating a gas bag (16),

at least one discharge opening (20) that is formed in a rigid component of said gas bag module (12), through which gas that is produced by said gas generator (14) and conveyed into said gas bag (16) can be discharged, and

at least one closing device (22) for said discharge opening (20), which has an adjusting device and a plurality of covers of different pressure sensitivities,

a specific one of said covers being placed in front of said discharge opening (20) by said adjusting device even before said gas bag module (12) is activated, so as to close said discharge opening (20) until a pre-established gas bag interior pressure is reached that is associated with the specific cover, and, when this interior pressure is exceeded, to at least partially release said discharge opening through bursting.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one sensor (28) is provided, which detects one of vehicle- and occupant-specific parameters, and a control unit (26) that processes said parameters and drives said adjusting device.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said covers are produced so as to have different thicknesses.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said covers have the same pre-established bursting cross-sections of said covers.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said closing device (22) has a plate (30) with a plurality of openings (32), which are closed by an assigned cover before said respective gas bag interior pressure is reached.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 5, wherein a respective cover is placed in front of said discharge opening (20) by moving said plate (30).

7. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 5, wherein said plate (30) is moved by said adjusting device in a rotational direction.

8. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 5, wherein said plate (30) is moved by said adjusting device in a translational direction.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said adjusting device is a mechanism (24).

10. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said closing device (22) has at least one seal (38).

11. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein each cover is made up of one individual material piece.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint device as recited in claim 1, wherein said covers are made of the same material.