EXTERNAL AIRBAG SYSTEM

• US 20160355152A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Dalphi Metal Espana SA (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Dalphi Metal Espana SA (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Perez Garcia, Azucena, Core Almarza, Emiliano, Casanova Mateo, Andres, Weiss, Christian, Pichler, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26058 using a combination of inflators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• 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 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

The present invention provides for an advantageous external side airbag system (1), comprising at least one airbag (3, 3a-3c) with at least one dedicated inflator (5a-5c). The external airbag system is characterised in that at least one airbag has in a folded state an elongated shape that extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and is configured to be integrated in a side structure (19) of a vehicle, and in particular between a rocker panel (21) and a sill cover (31) of a vehicle.

Claims

1. An external airbag system (1), comprising at least one airbag (3) with at least one dedicated inflator (5a-5c),

wherein the at least one airbag (3) has in a folded state an elongated shape that extends in a longitudinal direction and is configured to be integrated in a side structure of a vehicle (K) outside of the vehicle'"'"'s occupant compartment, and in particular between a rocker panel (21) and a sill cover (31) of a vehicle.

2. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein fixation means (7a-c) are provided for fixing the at least one inflator (5a-5c) and the at least one airbag (3) to the rocker panel (21) of a vehicle (K).

3. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the size and shape of the at least one airbag (3) in an inflated state is such that it is adapted to cover at least partially the doors and the B-pillar (25) of a vehicle.

4. The external airbag system according to the claim 1, wherein there are at least three inflators (5a-5c) provided that are substantially regularly distributed over the entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof.

5. The external airbag system according to the claim 1, wherein at feast one airbag (3) comprises at least one internal tether (35, 35′

) that is attached to the inner walls (41a, 41b) of the at least one airbag (3) and constructed such that the at least one airbag (3) deploys in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the at least one airbag (3).

6. The external airbag system according to claim 5, wherein at least one internal tether (35, 35′

) extends in the inflated airbag in a vertical direction (V) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) of the folded airbag and is attached to internal airbag walls (41a, 41b) that are arranged on opposite sides with respect to a plane (C) that cuts a longitudinal axis of the at least one airbag (3).

7. The external airbag airbag system according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of internal tethers (35, 35′

) is provided that are strap-shaped and substantially regularly distributed in at least one row over the entire length of the at feast one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof.

8. The external airbag system according to claim 5, wherein the internal tethers (35, 35′

) are arranged in at least two layers that are arranged in a distance from each other in a vertical direction (V) of the at least one airbag (3).

9. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the at least one airbag (3) comprises a single chamber which is adapted to receive an inflation gas from the at feast one inflator (5a-5c), and in particular from a plurality of inflators, to establish a substantially uniform pressure level in the single chamber.

10. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein at least one airbag (3) comprises two or more separate chambers (47, 47′

, 47″

), wherein each chamber receives inflation gas from a dedicated inflator such that different chambers may contain different pressure levels in the inflated state of the airbag.

11. The external airbag system according to to claim 10, wherein the two or more separate chambers (47, 47′

, 47″

) are arranged adjacent to each other and are distributed uniformly or non-uniformly over the entire length of the at least one airbag (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) thereof, wherein different chambers may contain different sizes and shapes, in particular different heights in the vertical direction (V) of the at least one airbag (3).

12. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein two or more separate airbags (3a-3b) are provided and arranged adjacent lo each other in a longitudinal direction (L) of the airbags. which are adapted to cover in an inflated state different parts of a side vehicle structure (19), wherein, preferably, the two or more separate airbags (3a-3c) arranged adjacent to each other are preferably connected to each other via a non-inflatable fabric (53).

13. the external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a pre-crash sensing system being adapted to detect a collision object and upon detection to fully deploy the at least one airbag before physical contact with the collision object, wherein, preferably, the pre-crash sensing system comprises at least one sensor for sensing a collision object, in particular a camera and/or a radar and/or lidar system.

14. The external airbag system according to claim 1, wherein at least one airbag comprises a double-layer fabric.

15. A vehicle, comprising an external airbag system according to claim 1.