Motor vehicle impact passenger protection arrangement

• US 5,794,975 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Mehren, Herbert, Nohr, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/789,014
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/753, 280/751, 280/752, 280/748, 280/741, 280/728.1, 280/728.3, 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/753
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/007 Means for adjusting or regulating the crash absorption capacity of the vehicle, e.g. when detecting an impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0414 using energy absorbing ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0435 associated with the side or roof pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26023 for filling the bag with foam
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/346 means outside vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A motor vehicle impact protection arrangement protects persons and has an impact protection device which is rendered operative in a defined protection area only when the danger of an impact is signalled. An energy-absorbing material is provided so that, when a danger of an impact has not yet been signalled, the material is situated in a closed space below the impact protection area and emerges only when the danger of an impact is signalled as an energy-absorbing impact protection device in the defined impact protection area.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle impact protection arrangement which is rendered operative in a defined protection area only in an event of a signalled impact danger of an impact, comprising

an energy-absorbing material which, when prior to the signalled impact danger is arranged in a closed space covered by the defined protection area,

at least one of openings and predetermined weak points provided in the defined protection area and configured to be broken open or deformed by pressure exercised by the energy-absorbing material, through or into which the energy-absorbing material emerges after the signalled impact danger and form an energy-absorbing elevation, and

a pressure generator configured to be actuatable by an impact signal and arranged relative to the energy-absorbing material so that, in an actuated state, the pressure generator exercises pressure on the energy-absorbing material to cause the energy-absorbing material to emerge to the energy-absorbing elevation wherein the predetermined weak points are configured as cups one of formed and molded on one side into a thin wall of a vehicle.

2. The arrangement according claim 1, wherein the emerging material has a spiked structure at the energy-absorbing elevation.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pressure generator is a pyrotechnically operating pressure generator.