Air bag device

• US 5,938,233 A
• Filed: 05/22/1998
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Specht, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/083,472
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/729, 280/728.2, 280/740, 280/743.1, 280/728.1, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/30 characterised by the fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0243 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2617 Curtain bag nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An air bag unit is provided to protect a vehicle passenger from impacting a member of the interior of a vehicle. The air bag unit includes one or more air bags attached as an integral unit to a clamping device for attachment to a portion of the interior vehicle frame. Since the air bag is intended to protect passengers from impact with an interior member of the vehicle frame, the air bag is adapted to the shape of such member. The clamping device includes an attachment part which slidably engages the interior of the vehicle frame. In addition, the air bag unit is inflated by a tube housed therein. The tube exerts a restraining action on the inflating gas and includes one or more breakage locations which are intended to rupture within the air bag at a predetermined pressure for inflation of the air bag.

Claims

1. An air bag device for a motor vehicle comprising:

an air bag capable of being inflated with gas, the air bag in a folded condition extending along an upper door-frame part of the vehicle;

at least one gas generator for producing inflation gas to inflate the air bag;

a clamping device holding the air bag to the upper door-frame part;

a tube disposed inside the air bag by which the inflation gas is distributed, the tube being adapted to the shape of the door-frame part and connected to the at least one gas generator, and wherein the tube includes a projection alone its length which extends in a longitudinal direction of the tube; and

a plurality of notches in the tube through which the inflation gas flows into the air bag when a predetermined pressure of the inflation gas prevails inside the tube.

2. An air bag device for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one air bag capable of being inflated with gas, the air bag having an elongated shape and extending along an upper door-frame part of a body of the vehicle;

at least one gas generator for inflation of the air bag;

a clamping device holding the air bag to the upper door-frame part, the clamping device being attached to the upper door-frame part;

a tube disposed inside the air bag and connected to the gas generator by which the air bag is inflated, wherein the tube includes a projection along its length which extends in a longitudinal direction of the tube; and

a plurality of areas in the tube which open into the air bag when a predetermined pressure of inflation gas prevails inside the tube.

3. An air bag unit for a motor vehicle comprising:

an air bag capable of being inflated with gas, the air bag in a folded condition extending in an elongated curve adapted to follow a curve of an upper door-frame part of the vehicle; and

a tube disposed inside the air bag by which the inflation gas is distributed from a gas generator, wherein the tube is curved to adapt to the curved shape of the door-frame part and the tube includes a projection along its length which extends in a longitudinal direction of the tube.

4. The air bag unit according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of notches in the tube through which the inflation gas flows into the air bag when a predetermined pressure of the inflation gas prevails inside the tube.

5. The air bag unit according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of areas in the tube which open into the air bag when a predetermined pressure of inflation gas prevails inside the tube, wherein each area is defined by a notch extending in length along the length of the tube.

6. The air bag unit according to claim 3 wherein the air bag in its folded condition includes a plurality of folds substantially parallel to the projection.

7. The air bag unit according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of folds are positioned along one side of the projection.

8. The air bag unit according to claim 3 wherein the air bag includes longitudinal edges attached to the projection of the tube.

9. The air bag unit according to claim 3 wherein the projection is attached to a clamping device for attachment to the upper door-frame part.

10. An air bag device for a motor vehicle comprising:

an air bag capable of being inflated with gas, the air bag in a folded condition extending along a curved upper door-frame part of the vehicle;

at least one gas generator for producing inflation gas to inflate the air bag;

a clamping device fixedly attaching substantially the complete length of the air bag to the upper door-frame part;

a tube disposed inside the air bag by which the inflation gas is distributed, wherein the tube is curved to follow the curved shape of said door-frame part, and the tube is connected to the at least one gas generator, and wherein the at least one gas generator comprises first and second gas generators, each of said generators connected to an opposite end of the tube; and

electrical feed lines to the first and second gas generators, wherein the feed lines are embedded in the tube.

11. An air bag device for a motor vehicle comprising:

an air bag capable of being inflated with gas, the air bag in a folded condition extending along a curved upper door-frame part of the vehicle;

at least one gas generator for producing inflation gas to inflate the air bag;

a clamping device fixedly attaching substantially the complete length of the air bag to the upper door-frame part;

a tube disposed inside the air bag by which the inflation gas is distributed, wherein the tube is curved to follow the curved shape of said door-frame part, and the tube is connected to the at least one gas generator; and

a length of high tear strength material attached to the air bag and attached to the door-frame part, wherein an end of the length of high tear strength material forward of the air bag is attached to a pillar in the door-frame part forward of the air bag.