SAFETY DEVICE WITH ELASTIC MEMBRANE

• US 20130099469A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: RICK, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 9,120,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/741
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23123 Heat protection panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2612 Gas guiding means, e.g. ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

A safety device is provided, comprising an elastic membrane, which partially or completely delimits a hollow space, which is provided for the accident-initiated filling subject to elastic expansion of the membrane, and a gas generator with a filling fluid source communicating with the hollow space, wherein between the filling fluid source and a surface of the membrane facing the hollow space and/or in the membrane at least one heat protection means is arranged, which is provided for the protection of the membrane from a thermal impact through filling fluid of the filling fluid source.

Claims

1. A safety device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising:

an elastic membrane, which partially or completely delimits a hollow space, which is provided for an accident-initiated filling subject to elastically expand the membrane, and

a gas generator with a filling fluid source communicating with the hollow space,

wherein between the filling fluid source and a surface of the membrane facing the hollow space or in the membrane, at least one heat protection means is arranged, which is provided for protecting the membrane from a thermal impact through filling fluid of the filling fluid source.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means has at least one of another thermal conductivity, thermal capacity and melting point than the membrane.

3. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is provided for cooling filling fluid before a contact with the membrane.

4. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is provided as sacrifice material for melting through filling fluid.

5. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is arranged on the surface of the membrane facing the hollow space.

6. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is arranged on a carrier, which partially delimits the hollow space.

7. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is arranged on the gas generator.

8. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is partially arranged in a region blown-on by filling fluid.

9. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is designed flexible as a coating of the membrane or as a film.

10. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means is designed dimensionally stable as a plate.

11. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means comprises at least one metal.

12. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein a heat protection means arranged in the membrane comprises nano particles.

13. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic membrane comprises at least one elastomer.

14. A method for the accident-initiated filling of a hollow space of a safety device, comprising an elastic membrane, which partially or completely delimits a hollow space, which is provided for an accident-initiated filling subject to elastically expand the membrane, and a gas generator with a filling fluid source communicating with the hollow space, wherein between the filling fluid source and a surface of the membrane facing the hollow space or in the membrane, at least one heat protection means is arranged, which is provided for protecting the membrane from a thermal impact through filling fluid of the filling fluid source, the method comprising:

through its gas generator, reducing a thermal impact of the membrane through the filling fluid by means of at least one heat protection means.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising deflecting a filling fluid through a heat protection means before a contact with the membrane.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising reducing a heat input of filling fluid in the membrane through at least one heat protection means by at least 1 kJ, in particular by at least 10 kJ.