Airbag module

• US 20080150264A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Meissner, Dirk, Lube, Thomas, Winkler, Andreas, Hofmann, Heiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,527 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 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• 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

An airbag module for a motor vehicle having an airbag which can be inflated with gas through an inflation opening in order to protect an occupant, and having a gas generator with which the gas for inflating the airbag can be generated, said gas emerging from at least one gas outlet opening of the gas generator and passing into the airbag through the inflation opening, the airbag module having, according to the invention, a first outflow opening which is assigned an element which can move between at least two different positions and by the movement of which between the two positions the first outflow opening can be connected in a gas-conducting manner to the gas outlet opening of the gas generator so that the gas which flows out through the gas outlet opening is conducted at least partially into the outer space.

Claims

1. An airbag module for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an airbag which can be inflated with gas through an injection orifice of the airbag in order to protect an occupant;

a gas generator for generating gas for inflating the airbag, wherein the generator is configured so that the gas emerges from at least one gas outlet orifice of the gas generator and passes through the injection orifice into the airbag;

wherein the airbag module has a first outflow orifice on a chamber surrounding the gas generator, wherein an element is assigned to the first outflow orifice, the element being movable at least between two different positions and as a result of whose movement between the two positions the first outflow orifice is connectable in a gas-conducting manner to the gas outlet orifice of the gas generator so that the gas flowing out through the gas outlet orifice is conducted at least partially into the outside space;

wherein the airbag has a second outflow orifice which is arranged, in an inflated state of the airbag, in the inside space of the airbag module so that gas emerging from the second outflow orifice passes through the openable region into the outside space;

and wherein the airbag has a third outflow orifice which, with an airbag deployed, is arranged in the outside space of the airbag module for the discharge of gas.

2. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas outlet orifice of the gas generator is connectable in a gas-conducting manner to the first outflow orifice by mechanism of the movable element so that the gas flowing out through the gas outlet orifice is conducted completely into the outside space.

3. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover to separate the outside space of the airbag module from an inside space of the airbag module.

4. The airbag module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the airbag can be deployed through an openable region of the cover into the outside space of the airbag module.

5. The airbag module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first outflow orifice is arranged in the inside space of the airbag module so that gas emerging from the first outflow orifice passes through the openable region into the outside space.

6. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable element is mounted so that it is displaceable in a movement direction running parallel to a main deployment direction of the airbag.

7. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable element is mounted so that it is displaceable and/or rotatable in a movement direction running parallel to the injection orifice.

8. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable element comprises the gas generator.

9. The airbag module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gas generator is connected to the chamber so that the first outflow orifice is released as a result of a movement of the gas generator in the movement direction.

10. The airbag module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the gas generator is designed so that the movement of the gas generator in the movement direction takes place by mechanism of a pressure generated during the outflow of gas.

11. The airbag module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the chamber is formed from at least a first and a second chamber element which are mounted movably with respect to one another in the movement direction.

12. The airbag module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the two chamber elements are mounted movably with respect to one another via guide elements extending longitudinally in the movement direction.

13. The airbag module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the airbag is secured to the first chamber element.

14. The airbag module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gas generator is connected to the second chamber element.

15. The airbag module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gas generator is connected to the second chamber element so that the second chamber element is spaced apart from the first chamber element as a result of a movement of the gas generator in the movement direction, so that the first outflow orifice is formed between the two chamber elements in the movement direction.

16. The airbag module as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a releasable locking element for securing the gas generator.

17. The airbag module as claimed in claim 16, wherein the locking element is designed so that it can be brought into engagement with the guide elements in order to secure the gas generator.

18. The airbag module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the locking element can be brought at least partially out of engagement with the guide elements by mechanism of a linear movement in an unlocking direction running transversely with respect to the movement direction.

19. The airbag module as claimed in claim 18, wherein the locking element has elongated holes which extend longitudinally in the unlocking direction and into which the guide elements engage in order to secure the gas generator.

20. The airbag module as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a movement generation device for generating the linear movement of the locking element.

21. The airbag module as claimed in claim 20, wherein the movement generation device has a piston which presses against the locking element in the unlocking direction in order to release the locking element.

22. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first outflow orifice is formed on the chamber.

23. The airbag module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the movable element is mounted movably on the chamber so that the first outflow orifice can be closed by mechanism of the movable element.

24. The airbag module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the chamber has a cylindrical wall in which the first outflow orifice is arranged.

25. The airbag module as claimed in claim 24, wherein the movable element has a cylindrical ring with a clearance, the ring being arranged displaceably on the wall of the chamber so that the clearance can be brought into congruence with the first outflow orifice as a result of a displacement of the ring along the wall.

26. The airbag module as claimed in claim 25, wherein, to displace the ring in the movement direction, the ring has a recess with a margin oriented transversely with respect to the movement direction.

27. The airbag module as claimed in claim 26, wherein the recess is designed as a gap which interrupts the ring and which extends transversely with respect to the movement direction.

28. The airbag module as claimed in claim 26, wherein a gap interrupting the ring extends along the margin of the recess.

29. The airbag module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the movable element can be moved by mechanism of a movement generation device.

30. The airbag module as claimed in claim 29, wherein the movement generation device has a piston which presses against the margin of the recess in order to displace the ring in the movement direction.

31. The airbag module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the chamber has a closable flow-out orifice through which gas can pass into the airbag in order to inflate the airbag.

32. The airbag module as claimed in claim 31, wherein the flow-out orifice is arranged on a flow-out region, facing the airbag, of the chamber.

33. The airbag module as claimed in claim 22, wherein the movable element has a valve plate with an orifice, the valve plate being arranged displaceably on the flow-out region of the chamber so that the orifice can be brought into congruence with the flow-out orifice as a result of a displacement of the valve plate along the flow-out region.

34. The airbag module as claimed in claim 33, wherein the valve plate is secured to a continuous margin, facing the airbag, of the ring.

35. The airbag module as claimed in claim 34, wherein the orifice of the valve plate is arranged with respect to the clearance of the ring so that the flow-out orifice is closed by the valve plate when the first outflow orifice is open, and in that the flow-out orifice is open when the first outflow orifice is closed by the ring.

36. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mechanism is provided, as far as possible, to prevent the situation where the gas emerging from the first and the second outflow orifices can flow in the direction oriented opposite to the main deployment direction.

37. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the inflated state of the airbag, the third outflow orifice is arranged on a side of the airbag which faces the airbag module.

38. The airbag module as claimed in claim 37, wherein, for the discharge of gas, the airbag has a further third outflow orifice which, with an airbag deployed, is arranged in the outside space of the airbag module.

39. The airbag module as claimed in claim 38, wherein, in the inflated state of the airbag, the further third outflow orifice lies opposite the third outflow orifice transversely with respect to a main deployment direction of the airbag.