Airbag device

• US 5,921,576 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Sinnhuber, Ruprecht
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Application Number:
  US08/874,550
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/732, 280/728.3, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence

Abstract

An airbag device for occupants of a vehicle having at least one airbag which can be inflated by at least one gas generator and is arranged beneath a wall element or a housing of a paneling part. To provide an airbag device which is easy to install, in the folded-together state, the airbag is fastened to the wall element or the housing. Consequently, the paneling element, on the one hand, and the airbag, on the other hand, together form a preassembled module. The wall element or housing designed in this way as a module support is provided with an arresting member by which the entire preassembled module can be fastened to the vehicle body and/or to other paneling parts.

Claims

1. An airbag device for occupants of a vehicle having a body, the airbag device comprising:

a panelling part having a wall element;

at least one airbag;

at least one gas generator operative to inflate the at least one airbag, the airbag having an uninflated folded-together state, the panelling part and the at least one airbag forming a preassembled module;

arresting means provided on the preassembled module for fastening the module to at least one of the vehicle body and other panelling parts;

stable articulation means for fastening the wall element to the vehicle body, the wall element being movable between a rest position and a predetermined opening state position in a direction away from a side window of the vehicle the wall element being configured to cover the folded together airbag in the rest position, the stable articulation means being configured so that the wall element maintains the predetermined opening state position when moved by inflation of the airbag so that unfolding of the airbag is directed by the wall element along at least one of the side window and a vertical pillar of the vehicle;

a supply line in fluid communication with the gas generator; and

a propellant line connection connected to the airbag.

2. An airbag device according to claim 1, and further comprising a housing containing the wall element.

3. An airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the wall element has a predetermined point of weakness at which the housing can be destroyed to produce an inflation opening by a filling pressure introduced into the airbag by the gas generator.

4. An airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one gas generator is at most slightly covered by the housing, and further comprising the supply line connected to the gas generator.

5. An airbag device according to claim 2, and further comprising retaining means for electrical lines, the retaining means being provided on a rear side of the housing.

6. An airbag device according to claim 2, and further comprising the propellant line connection mounted to the housing and in fluid connection with the supply line, the supply line being configured so that at least portions thereof are formed as integral component parts of the housing.

7. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the wall element has a predetermined point of weakness at which the wall element can be destroyed to produce an inflation opening by a filling pressure introduced into the airbag by the gas generator.

8. An airbag device according to claim 7, wherein the arresting means is mounted to the wall element and includes first means configured to remain in a closed position during filling of the airbag as a stable articulation, and second means configured to assume a release state in preparation for one of swiveling and pivoting movement of the wall element.

9. An airbag device according to claim 8, wherein the second means includes at least one clip element configured to engage behind one of a retaining flange and a retaining wall of the vehicle body through a detent opening.

10. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the wall element is configured to form an airbag receiving chamber with at least a portion of the vehicle body.

11. An airbag device according to claim 10, wherein the panelling part is configured to cover a profiled portion of the vehicle body, the wall element being a component part of the panelling part.

12. An airbag device according to claim 11, wherein the wall element is configured to be connectable to one of a vertical pillar, a side wall rail, a window channel support, a door rail, a diagonally running frame element and a roof frame of the vehicle.

13. An airbag device according to claim 2, wherein the housing is configured to have a cavity formed as an airbag receiving chamber.

14. An airbag device according to claim 13, wherein the panelling part is configured to cover a profiled portion of the vehicle body, the housing being a component part of the panelling part.

15. An airbag device according to claim 14, wherein the housing is configured to be connectable to one of a vertical pillar, a side wall rail, a window channel support, a door rail, a diagonally running frame element and a roof frame of the vehicle.

16. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the supply line is configured so that it has at least portions that are integral component parts of the wall element.

17. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one gas generator is at most slightly covered by the wall element, and further comprising the supply line connected to the gas generator.

18. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the propellant line connection is provided in a region of the wall element where there is an increased risk of head impact for at least one of the vehicle occupants in a mounted state of the wall element to the vehicle.

19. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the propellant line connection is arranged and configured so that when the airbag device is installed in the vehicle the propellant line connection is in a region at which a vertically running pillar of the vehicle abuts a roof frame of the vehicle.

20. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the propellant line connection is arranged and configured so that when the airbag device is installed in the vehicle the propellant line connection is in a region at which an approximately horizontal running profiled element abuts a vertical pillar of the vehicle.

21. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the panelling part is configured as a module support for a module formed of the gas generator and the airbag.

22. An airbag device according to claim 1, and further comprising retaining means for electrical lines, the retaining means being provided on a rear side of the wall element.

23. An airbag device according to claim 22, and further comprising elements of an electrical line system, the electrical line system elements being formed as an integral part of the wall element.

24. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the stable articulation means is formed as at least one pivot bearing.

25. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the stable articulation means is formed as a yielding region in the wall element.

26. An airbag device according to claim 1, wherein at least one region of the wall element is configured so that it is stable and does not undergo any significant change in position when the airbag unfolds, so as to define the predetermined opening state position.

27. An airbag device for occupants of a vehicle having a body, the airbag device comprising:

a panelling part having a wall element;

at least one airbag;

at least one gas generator operative to inflate the at least one airbag, the gas generator being arranged beneath the wall element of the panelling part, the airbag having an uninflated folded-together state in which the airbag is fastened to the wall element by attachment to the gas generator, the panelling part and the at least one airbag forming a preassembled module;

arresting means provided on the preassembled module for fastening the module to at least one of the vehicle body and other panelling parts; and

means molded into the wall element for holding at least one of the airbag and the gas generator.

28. An airbag device for occupants of a vehicle having a body, the airbag device comprising:

a panelling part having a wall element;

at least one airbag;

at least one gas generator operative to inflate the at least one airbag, the gas generator being arranged beneath the wall element of the panelling part, the airbag having an uninflated folded-together state in which the airbag is fastened to the wall element by attachment to the gas generator, the panelling part and the at least one airbag forming a preassembled module;

arresting means provided on the preassembled module for fastening the module to at least one of the vehicle body and other panelling parts;

a housing containing the wall element; and

means molded into the housing for holding at least one of the airbag and the gas generator.