AIRBAG MODULE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20110109069A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Rick, Ulrich
• Application Number:
  US12/942,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An airbag module is provided for a vehicle, including, but not limited to an airbag including, but not limited to a gas filling device, which has at least two outflow openings through which the gas flows into the airbag. The at least two outflow openings adapted such that a majority of the gas flows in a thrust-neutral and/or force-neutral manner into the airbag.

Claims

1. An airbag module for a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag;

a gas filling device adapted to fill the airbag; and

at least two outflow openings of the gas filling device through which a gas flows into the airbag, wherein the at least two outflow openings are adapted such that a majority of the gas flows in a neutral manner into the airbag.

2. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the neutral manner is a thrust-neutral manner.

3. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the neutral manner is a force-neutral manner.

4. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the at least two outflow openings are adapted such that that at least approximately 70% of the gas flows in the neutral manner into the airbag.

5. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the at least two outflow openings are adapted such that that at least approximately 80% of the gas flows in the neutral manner into the airbag.

6. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the at least two outflow openings are adapted such that at least approximately 90% of the gas flows in the neutral manner into the airbag.

7. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device is adapted such that at least approximately 70% of a sum of force vectors, which result from the gas flows into the airbag, substantially cancel out one another.

8. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device is adapted such that at least approximately 80% of a sum of force vectors, which result from the gas flows into the airbag, substantially cancel out one another.

9. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device is adapted such that at least approximately 90% of a sum of force vectors, which result from the gas flows into the airbag, substantially cancel out one another.

10. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device has a center in a cross-sectional view through which at least one imaginary straight line runs and intersects the gas filling device in at least two intersection points, the at least two outflow openings situated in the at least two intersection points.

11. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device has a center in a cross-sectional view through which at least one imaginary straight line runs and intersects the gas filling device in at least two intersection points, the at least two outflow openings situated at a height of the at least two intersection points.

12. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device comprises a form of a cylinder, the cylinder comprising a lateral surface, a base surface, and a cover surface.

13. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the gas filling device comprises a form of a prism, the prism comprising a lateral surface, a base surface, and a cover surface.

14. The airbag module according to claim 12, wherein a first outflow opening is situated radially to a straight line through center points of the base surface and the cover surface in a peripheral direction at an angle of approximately beta degrees and a second of the at least two outflow openings is situated at a second angle of approximately (beta+180) degrees on the lateral surface.

15. The airbag module according to claim 14, wherein the at least two outflow openings are situated radially in the peripheral direction to the straight line through the center points of the base surface and the cover surface on the lateral surface, the at least two outflow openings situated at intermediate angles of approximately (gamma+360/n) degrees, wherein n being an even natural number and specifying a number of the at least two outflow openings.

16. The airbag module according to claim 12, wherein the gas filling device is a right circular cylinder having two circular surfaces as the base surface and the cover surface and comprising a cylindrical lateral surface, two of the at least two outflow openings situated in a peripheral direction radially to a straight line through a center point of the two circular surfaces at angles of approximately 90°

and of approximately (90+180)°

on the cylindrical lateral surface, wherein 0°

being situated at a position of an igniter.

17. The airbag module according to claim 12, wherein the gas filling device comprises a gas generator comprising a gas generator jacket, the gas generator jacket comprising the at least two outflow openings.

18. The airbag module according to claim 17, wherein the gas filling device comprises an envelope that at least partially envelops the gas generator jacket and comprises the at least two outflow openings.

19. The airbag module according to claim 18, wherein the envelope is a diffuser.

20. The airbag module according to claim 17, the gas generator jacket is a right circular cylinder comprising two circular surfaces as the base surface and the cover surface and comprising the at least two outflow openings, the at least two outflow openings situated radially in a peripheral direction to straight lines through center points of the two circular surfaces, the at least two outflow openings situated at intermediate angles of approximately 90°

on the lateral surface of the cylinder.

21. The airbag module according to claim 17, the gas generator jacket is a right circular cylinder comprising two circular surfaces as the base surface and the cover surface and comprising the at least two outflow openings, the at least two outflow openings situated radially in a peripheral direction to straight lines through center points of the two circular surfaces, the at least two outflow openings situated at intermediate angles of approximately 180°

on the lateral surface of the cylinder.

22. The airbag module according to claim 13, wherein an envelope is a right prism comprising two octagons as the base surface and the cover surface and comprises the at least two outflow openings, the at least two outflow openings situated radially to a straight line through center points of the two octagons, the at least two outflow openings situated at intermediate angles of approximately 90°

on the lateral surface of the prism.

23. The airbag module according to claim 13, wherein an envelope is a right prism comprising two octagons as the base surface and the cover surface and comprises the at least two outflow openings, the at least two outflow openings situated radially to a straight line through center points of the two octagons, the at least two outflow openings situated at intermediate angles of approximately 180°

on the lateral surface of the prism.

24. The airbag module according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module is a passenger airbag module.