Side air bag with traction elements

• US 6,135,490 A
• Filed: 03/10/1998
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Spary, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/037,363
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/730.2, 160/370.23
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2375 Folding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A gas bag has at least one inflatable chamber formed from textile wall pieces, and a seam edging this chamber. To considerably facilitate the stowing or folding of the gas bag in a housing or the like, guide elements in at least one seam region are provided for a traction means arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the seam, and the traction means is secured on an end region of the seam.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a gas bag with at least one inflatable chamber formed from at least one textile wall piece, said gas bag including a seam edging said chamber;

a housing for receiving said gas bag in a folded state;

a traction means arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of said seam and being fastened on an end region of said seam; and

guide elements on said gas bag for guiding said traction means in at least one seam region of said gas bag;

said gas bag being transferred into said folded state in said housing through the exerting of force on a free end of said traction means.

2. A gas bag according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag has an elongated shape in said folded state and its folding is brought about by the exerting of traction on several traction means distributed over its length.

3. A gas bag according to claim 2, wherein the inflatable chamber is divided by several seam strips into individual chamber compartments and one traction means is arranged along each of said seam strips.

4. A gas bag according to claim 1, wherein said guide elements are formed by slits arranged transversely to said longitudinal direction of said seam in the latter, through which slits said traction means extends on alternate sides of the wall pieces of the gas bag.

5. A gas bag according to claim 1, wherein a detent-, locking or holding element is provided on said traction means, which engages on a corresponding counter element of said housing and holds said traction means in a tensioned state.

6. A gas bag according to claim 5, wherein said traction means is provided with a nominal tear line oriented transversely to a longitudinal direction of said traction means.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing engages said gas bag in a region opposite said end region of said seam when said gas bag is transferred into said folded state in said housing.

8. Apparatus comprising:

a gas bag having at least one inflatable chamber, said gas bag including an upper edge and a lower edge spaced apart from said upper edge;

a housing for receiving said gas bag in a folded state; and

traction means having a first end connected to said gas bag near said lower edge of said gas bag, said traction means extending through guide elements on said gas bag and extending along alternate sides of said gas bag;

said gas bag being transferred into said folded state in said housing through the exerting of a force on a second end of said traction means opposite said first end.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said upper edge of said gas bag engages said housing, said lower edge of said gas bag being drawn into said housing towards said upper edge when said gas bag is transferred into said folded state.