Anti-collision cushion for the occupants of a motor vehicle

• US 5,048,863 A
• Filed: 05/11/1989
• Issued: 09/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Bossenmaier, Alban, Mast, Horst, Muller, Manfred, Brambilla, Luigi, Katz, Egon, Henseler, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FERRITER, KARIN L
• Application Number:
  US07/350,406
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743, 280/728, 280/729, 188/371, 188/375, 188/376, 244/31
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams

Abstract

An anti-collision cushion is disclosed for the occupants of a motor vehicle. Known anti-collision cushions are constructed with a central part which is connected to two side parts of equal size. A tearing fold which reduces the volume capacity, and which is formed by a rip seam, is provided on the surface of the central part. In the deployment phase an expansion occurs with high velocities in the region of the side parts, which may result in injuries to the occupant in some circumstances. In the novel anti-collision cushion the rip seams connect the connecting seams which are contiguous in the region of the tearing fold between the central part and the side parts. A reduction of the expansion and of the expansion velocity, particularly in the region of the side parts, is thereby achieved.

Claims

1. Anti-collision cushion for the occupants of a motor vehicle which is constructed with two side parts and a central part arranged between the side parts, and which is inflatable by gas from a folded initial position on a receptacle fixed to the vehicle, the volume capacity in the initial state being reduced by at least one tearing fold formed in a wall of the anti-collision cushion and fixed by rip seams which are destroyed due to the rising gas pressure so that in the final state, the entire volume capacity of the anti-collision cushion is available, wherein the rip seams connect connecting seams between the central part and the side parts which are contiguous in the region of the tearing fold, and wherein the rip seams are only in the region of the connecting seams.

2. Anti-collision cushion according to claim 1, wherein a tearing fold is formed on each of two opposite wall regions of the central part.

3. Anti-collision cushion according to claim 1, wherein the rip seams are configured to preclude abrupt expansion of the cushion parts to avoid injury to the vehicle occupant.

4. Anti-collision cushion according to claim 1, wherein a tearing fold is formed on each of two opposite wall regions of the central part.

5. Anti-collision cushion according to claim 1, wherein the rip seams connect the connecting seams in a plane passing through an intersection forming an edge portion between the central part and the side parts.