Lateral impact protective device for vehicle occupants

• US 5,957,487 A
• Filed: 03/19/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Stutz, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/820,929
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2334 Expansion control features

Abstract

A lateral impact protective device for a front and a rear vehicle occupant comprises an elongated head gas bag which is convertable from a folded state to an inflated state. The gas bag has two opposite lateral ends and is adapted to extend, in the inflated state, from sidewards of said front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of said rear vehicle occupant. The lateral protective device provides a common and, therefore, low-price protection for the front and the rear vehicle occupant.

Claims

1. A lateral impact protective device for a front vehicle occupant and a rear vehicle occupant of a vehicle, the vehicle including an A-pillar, a roof frame, and a C-pillar, said lateral impact protective device comprising:

an elongated head gas bag which is convertible from a folded state to an inflated state, said gas bag having two opposite lateral ends and being adapted to extend, in the inflated state, from sidewards of the front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of the rear vehicle occupant, said gas bag having gas inlet openings at least at one of said lateral ends; and

at least one gas generator, said gas generator being attached to at least one of the A-pillar and the C-pillar of the vehicle and being connected via said gas inlet openings with the interior of said gas bag.

2. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, along at least a part of the A-pillar, along the roof frame, and along at least a part of the C-pillar of the vehicle.

3. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, from the A-pillar as far as the C-pillar of the vehicle.

4. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

5. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

6. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said head gas bag is attached to the A-pillar, to the roof frame, and to the C-pillar of the vehicle.

7. A lateral impact protective device for a front vehicle occupant and a rear vehicle occupant of a vehicle, said lateral impact protection device comprising:

an elongated head gas bag which is convertible from a folded state to an inflated state, said gas bag having two opposite lateral ends and being adapted to extend, in the inflated state, from sidewards of the front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of the rear vehicle occupant; and

a hose-like fitting sheath in which said head gas bag is arranged in the folded state thereof.

8. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fitting sheath is secured to the vehicle and said head gas bag is attached to the vehicle along an upper edge.

9. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fitting sheath has a slot-like outlet opening extending in a longitudinal direction, the vehicle having a side window toward which said outlet opening points.

10. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fitting sheath is manufactured of flexible material.

11. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said lateral impact protective device is in the form of a unit adapted to be retrofitted to an existing vehicle.

12. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the vehicle includes an A-pillar, a roof frame, and a C-pillar, said head gas bag extending, in the folded state thereof, along at least a part of the A-pillar, along the roof frame, and along at least a part of the C-pillar of the vehicle.

13. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, from the A-pillar as far as the C-pillar of the vehicle.

14. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

15. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

16. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said head gas bag is attached to the A-pillar, to the roof frame, and to the C-pillar of the vehicle.

17. A lateral impact protective device for a front vehicle occupant and a rear vehicle occupant of a vehicle, said lateral impact protection device comprising:

an elongated head gas bag which is convertible from a folded state to an inflated state, said head gas bag having two opposite lateral ends and being adapted to extend in a longitudinal direction, in the inflated state, from a sidewards of the front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of the rear vehicle occupant;

said head gas bag having at least one element adapted to partially constrict said head gas bag in said inflated state thereof, said element extending transverse to said longitudinal direction and shortening said head gas bag in said longitudinal direction during inflation.

18. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said head gas bag has a wall and said constricting element is secured to said wall and is in the form of a string.

19. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said head gas bag has a wall and said constricting element is secured to said wall and is in the form of a tape.

20. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said gas bag has a bottom edge portion, said constricting element constricting said bottom edge portion in said inflated state of said gas bag.

21. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the vehicle includes an A-pillar, a roof frame, and a C-pillar, said head gas bag extending, in the folded state thereof, along at least a part of the A-pillar, along the roof frame, and along at least a part of the C-pillar of the vehicle.

22. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, from the A-pillar as far as the C-pillar of the vehicle.

23. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

24. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 22 wherein said head gas bag is attached to one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

25. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 21 wherein said head gas bag is attached to the A-pillar, to the roof frame, and to the C-pillar of the vehicle.

26. A lateral impact protective device for a front vehicle occupant and a rear vehicle occupant in a vehicle, the vehicle having side windows with a bottom part, said lateral impact protective device comprising:

an elongated head gas bag which is convertible from a folded state to an inflated state, said gas bag having two opposite lateral ends and being adapted to extend, in the inflated state, from sidewards of the front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of the rear vehicle occupant;

said head gas bag extending, in the inflated state thereof, as far as the bottom part of the side windows and tapering toward its end.

27. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 26 wherein the vehicle includes an A-pillar, a roof frame, and a C-pillar, said head gas bag extending, in the folded state thereof, along at least a part of the A-pillar, along the roof frame, and along at least a part of the C-pillar of the vehicle.

28. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 27 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, from the A-pillar as far as the C-pillar of the vehicle.

29. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 27 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

30. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

31. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 27 wherein said head gas bag is attached to the A-pillar, to the roof frames and to the C-pillar of the vehicle.

32. A lateral impact protective device for a front vehicle occupant and a rear vehicle occupant in a vehicle, said lateral impact protection device comprising:

an elongated head gas bag which is convertible from a folded state to an inflated state, said gas bag having two opposite lateral ends and being adapted to extend, in the inflated state, from sidewards of the front vehicle occupant as far as sidewards of the rear vehicle occupant;

said gas bag having an internal wall surface and wherein a heat resistant foil is present in the interior of said gas bag, said foil lying against said internal wall surface and being so arranged and of such a size that it is not loaded by pulling forces in the inflated state of said head gas bag.

33. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the vehicle includes an A-pillar, a roof frame, and a C-pillar, said head gas bag extending in the folded state thereof, along at least a part of the A-pillar, along the roof frame, and along at least a part of the C-pillar of the vehicle.

34. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 33 wherein said head gas bag extends, in the folded state thereof, from the A-pillar as far as the C-pillar of the vehicle.

35. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 33 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

36. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 34 wherein said head gas bag is attached at one of said lateral ends to the A-pillar and at the other of said lateral ends to the C-pillar.

37. The lateral impact protective device as claimed in claim 33 wherein said head gas bag is attached to the A-pillar, to the roof frame, and to the C-pillar of the vehicle.