Airbag module

• US 20100201109A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Fernandez, Juan, Hansel, Michael, Vidolov, Kliment, Meissner, Dirk, Lube, Thomas, Markfort, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26017 a cooling agent being added to the inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 102/704 Coolants

Abstract

An airbag module for a motor vehicle includes a gas sack that can be inflated with gas to protect an occupant, a gas generator for generating the gas provided for inflating the gas sack, and an additional cooling device comprising an openable reservoir for storing a coolant. The reservoir is opened when the gas sack is inflated, so that the coolant for cooling the gas used to inflate the gas sack can come into contact with the gas. The cooling device comprises a movement generating device that opens the reservoir to release the coolant.

Claims

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

a gas sack that can be inflated with gas to protect an occupant,

a gas generator for generating the gas provided for inflating the gas sack,

an additional cooling device comprising an openable reservoir for storing a coolant, with the reservoir being designed to be opened, so that the coolant for cooling the gas in the gas sack can come into contact with said gas,

wherein the reservoir of the cooling device is spaced apart from the airbag module in an exterior space surrounding the airbag module.

2. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, including an inflow line connecting the reservoir to an outflow opening of the cooling device, which outflow opening is arranged in an interior space of the gas sack or in an interior space of the airbag module.

3. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling device comprises a movement generating device that opens the reservoir to release the coolant.

4. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement generating device opens a closure of an outflow opening of the reservoir, through which the coolant can be released.

5. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas generator has a flange for fastening the gas generator to a generator support.

6. The airbag module as claimed in claim 5, wherein the generator support has a base.

7. The airbag module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base has a central gas generator opening for receiving the gas generator, and in that the gas generator opening has an encircling edge region with which the flange of the gas generator is connected to the generator support.

8. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas sack has an inflow opening through which gas can be conducted into the gas sack in order to inflate the gas sack.

9. The airbag module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inflow opening has an edge region which encircles the inflow opening and that, to fix the gas sack to the generator support, is arranged between the flange and the edge region of the gas generator opening.

10. The airbag module as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flange is fixed to the generator support with at least one connecting element.

11. The airbag module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the flange has at least one first cut-out, and in that the generator support has at least one second cut-out that is aligned with the first cut-out.

12. The airbag module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second cut-out is provided at the edge region of the gas generator opening.

13. The airbag module as claimed in claims 11, wherein the at least one connecting element is guided through the aligned cut-outs to fix the flange to the generator support.

14. The airbag module as claimed in claim 10, wherein an outflow opening of the cooling device is formed by a passage opening that is formed in the connecting element.

15. The airbag module as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reservoir is connected to the connecting element from the direction of an exterior space surrounding the airbag module, so that the coolant can pass from the reservoir through the passage opening into an interior space of the gas sack.

16. The airbag module as claimed in claim 15, wherein an inflow line is provided that connects the reservoir to the connecting element.

17. The airbag module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temperature of the gas in the gas sack can be influenced by the cooling device irrespective of the time of activation of the gas generator.