Air bag retention system

• US 6,286,860 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Petri AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Petri AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hahn, Daniel, Adomeit, Heinz-Dieter, Braun, Eleonore
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lum, L.
• Application Number:
  US09/445,591
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/733, 280/801.1, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to an airbag retention system that is arranged in the area of the lower part of the body of the passenger. According to the invention, a gas bag is loosely placed on the body of the passenger in an inactivated state. Said gas bag has two ends enabling it to be secured to components of the vehicle. At least one end is secured to and can be detached from said vehicle. Preferably, the inactivated gas bag is placed loosely on the upper part of the legs of the passenger.

Claims

1. An gasbag retention system to be mounted in an area of a lower part of the body of a passenger in a motor vehicle comprising a gas bag to be laid, when in an inactivated state loosely on the body of the passenger;

wherein the gas bag has two ends by means of which the gas bag is fixable on component parts of the motor vehicle wherein at least one end is detachably fixable on the motor vehicle.

2. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 further comprising holders;

wherein the ends of the gas bag can be fixed at the side or behind the passenger through the holders.

3. An gasbag retention system according to claim 2 wherein the ends of the gas bag are designed narrower than the remaining area of the gas bag to fit on the holders.

5. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the gas bag has one of a fan, lens, circular, and trapezoidal.

6. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the gas bag has at least one partition provided with apertures to form a multi-chamber gas bag.

7. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the gas bag is divided by at least one seam into several chambers which communicate with each other.

8. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein at least one band or cord runs loosely in and along an outer edge of the spread-out gas, empty bag, and wherein one end of the band is fixed inside the gas bag and the other end is fixed outside of the gas bag.

9. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one additional gas bag which unfolds in a different direction from a main gas bag.

10. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the detachable end of the gas bag has a locking unit which can engage in a lock and in whose area one end of the gas bag runs as a flat band.

11. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein one end of the gas bag on a gas generator side is fixed on a diffuser pipe, coupled to a gas generator.

12. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the area of the gas bag on a gas generator side fits on a supply line end pipe or a diffuser pipe and is enclosed there by a first holder part;

wherein the end of the gas bag is inverted over the holder part; and

is enclosed by at least one second holder part wherein the first and second holder parts adjoin one another next to the supply line end pipe or the diffuser pipe; and

wherein the first and second holder parts are connected together and are connectable to the motor vehicle.

13. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein the area of the gas bag on a gas generator side sits on one of a supply line end pipe and a diffuser pipe and is enclosed by a wedge ring;

and wherein the end of the gas bag is inverted over the wedge ring and is enclosed by a clamping part which has an inner cone.

14. An gasbag retention system according to claim 1 wherein a gas generator is fixed in a diffuser pipe and is connected by a curved, flexible or rigid supply line to a supply line end pipe which runs inclined upwards and forwards and on which the end of the gas bag on the gas generator side is coupled.

4. An gasbag retention system wherein the gas bag in the inactivated state is folded inside a cover.

15. A motor vehicle comprising:

a seat for a passenger; and

a gas bag;

wherein the gas bag has two ends by means of which the gas bag is fixed on component parts of the motor vehicle and wherein at least one end is detachably fixed on the motor vehicle; and

wherein the gas bag in the inactivated state lies untensioned across the body of a passenger when a passenger is seated in the seat.

16. A motor vehicle according to claim 15 wherein the gas bag in the inactivated state lies untensioned on the upper thighs of the passenger when the passenger is seated in the seat.

17. A motor vehicle according to claim 15 further comprising a gas generator connected to an end of the gas bag wherein the gas generator is mounted to one of on a vehicle seat, next to a vehicle seat, on a central tunnel, on a floor and on a side wall.

18. A method of locating a gasbag relative to a passenger of a motor vehicle comprising:

locating the passenger on a seat of the motor vehicle;

fixing one end of the gasbag to the motor vehicle;

loosely laying the gasbag on the passenger;

detachably fixing another end of the gas bag to the motor vehicle.