Airbag for motor vehicles

• US 5,941,559 A
• Filed: 03/24/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Tschaschke, Ulrich, Rudolf, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/821,622
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/743.2, 280/743.1, 280/730.1, 280/731, 280/732, 280/740
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• 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

Abstract

An airbag for motor vehicles comprises an airbag sheath and an inner airbag that is inflated before the airbag sheath and, by virtue of its design, is prepared for deliberate filling with gas in the direction of the passenger, with the inner airbag having a cross section that decreases uniformly in the direction of the passenger, to aim the gas stream toward the passenger.

Claims

1. An airbag for motor vehicles, comprising:

an airbag sheath; and

an inner airbag located centrally in said airbag sheath that is inflated before the airbag sheath and is designed by virtue of its shape for filling with gas in a specific direction,

wherein the inner airbag has an elongated shape and a closed cross section that decreasingly tapers uniformly in a direction of a passenger, said cross section directing the gas flow in the direction of the passenger, and

wherein the, inner airbag extends from an inlet cross section of the airbag sheath near a gas source to an opposite impact surface of the airbag sheath near a point of contact with the passenger.

2. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein an inlet cross section of the inner airbag for the gas flow relative to the filling volume of the inner airbag is larger than the corresponding ratio for the airbag sheath.

3. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inlet cross section where the gas flow enters the airbag sheath is smaller than an inlet cross section of the inner airbag.

4. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag is sewn to the impact surface of the airbag sheath near the point of contact.

5. Airbag according to claim 4, wherein the inner airbag is sewn to the airbag sheath along a circumferential seam.

6. Airbag according to claim 4, wherein the inner airbag is provided as a restraint for the airbag sheath.

7. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag is designed as a frustum of a cone.

8. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag is designed as a frustum of a pyramid.

9. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag has a rectangular shape at an inlet cross section.

10. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag is located coaxially in a lengthwise direction of the airbag sheath.

11. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein gas through-flow openings to allow gas to flow into the airbag sheath are provided in the inner airbag.

12. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag has at least one tear seam that tears under internal pressure and allows gas to flow into the airbag sheath.

13. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the material of the inner airbag is designed to be gas-permeable above an internal pressure that can be predetermined.

14. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag is made of gas-permeable filter fabric.

15. Airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is designed as a non-driver passenger airbag.

16. The airbag according to claim 1, wherein the inner airbag consists of exactly one inner airbag.

17. An airbag assembly disposable in use facing a vehicle passenger, comprising:

an inner airbag,

an airbag sheath surrounding the inner airbag, and

a gas generator providing inflating gas to the inner airbag and the airbag sheath,

wherein the inner airbag is located centrally in said airbag sheath and has a smaller volume than an airbag sheath volume separate from the inner airbag and has a uniformly decreasing tapering closed cross-section in a direction toward the passengers,

wherein the inner airbag extends from an inlet cross section of the airbag sheath near the (at generator to an opposite impact surface of the airbag sheath near a point of contact with the passenger.

18. An airbag assembly according to claim 17, wherein the inner airbag is sewn to said airbag sheath at a location corresponding to a contact area of the airbag sheath with a passenger.

19. The airbag assembly according to claim 17, wherein the inner airbag consists of exactly one inner airbag.