Gas bag

• US 6,296,276 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Ritter, Philipp
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lum, L.
• Application Number:
  US09/652,538
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23308 the individual compartments defining the external shape of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23547 one piece weaving
• 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: D03D 1/02 Inflatable articles

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas bag having at least one chamber. The gas bag comprises at least two fabric layers arranged opposite one another and delimiting the at least one chamber which can be filled with gas. The fabric layers each form a surface area and consist of threads which comprise warp and weft threads. The gas bag further comprises at least one spacer which is joined to the fabric layers and, in an inflated state of the gas bag, limits a distance between the fabric layers. The spacer is made up of some of the threads which, related to the inflated state of the gas bag, depart from the surface area formed by their associated fabric layer and extend towards the opposite fabric layer to be joined to threads of the opposite fabric layer.

Claims

1. A gas bag having at least one chamber, said gas bag comprising

at least two fabric layers arranged opposite one another and delimiting said at least one chamber which can be filled with gas, said fabric layers each forming a surface area and consisting of threads which comprise warp and weft threads, and

at least one spacer which is joined to said fabric layers and, in an inflated state of said gas bag, limits a distance between said fabric layers, said spacer being made up of some of said threads which, related to said inflated state of said gas bag, depart from said surface area formed by their associated fabric layer and extend towards the opposite fabric layer to be joined to threads of said opposite fabric layer.

2. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein said threads functioning as said spacer depart from said surface area formed by said associated fabric layer and, after forming said spacer, go into said opposite fabric layer.

3. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein said threads functioning as said spacer depart from said surface area formed by said associated fabric layer and, after forming said spacer, go back into said associated fabric layer.

4. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein some of said threads of both oppositely located fabric layers depart from said surface areas formed by said associated fabric layers to run towards the corresponding opposite fabric layer and, in order to collectively form said spacer between said fabric layers, are joined together at least section-wise in a portion of said spacer.

5. The gas bag according to claim 4, wherein said joining in said portion of said spacer is effected by weaving.

6. The gas bag according to claim 4, wherein said threads forming said spacer form an H shape in said inflated state of said gas bag and viewed in cross-section.

7. The gas bag according to claim 6, wherein, in order to form said H shape, said threads forming said spacer extend towards each other from opposite fabric layers and, in order to form a connecting leg of said H shape, are interwoven in a region and finally pass on to one of their associated fabric layer and their opposite fabric layer and go into the fabric layers.

8. The gas bag according to claim 4, wherein said threads forming said spacer form an X shape in said inflated state of said gas bag and viewed in cross-section.

9. The gas bag according to claim 8, wherein, in order to form said X shape, said threads coming from opposite fabric layers and forming said spacer extend towards and pass each other and finally go into their opposite fabric layer.

10. The gas bag according to claim 4, wherein said threads forming said spacer form a Y shape in said inflated state of said gas bag and viewed in cross-section.

11. The gas bag according to claim 10, wherein a middle piece of said Y shape is formed by said threads of one fabric layer.

12. The gas bag according to claim 10, wherein said middle piece of said Y shape is formed by threads of both fabric layers, which are joined together, and said threads, in a region of said V-shaped section of said Y shape, running separately from each other.

13. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein at least one fabric layer is coated at least in a region where said spacer is provided.

14. The gas bag according to claim 13, wherein said gas bag has an outer side and is coated by a film applied to said outer side.

15. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein said gas bag has a plurality of chambers and said spacer is provided within at least one of said chambers.

16. The gas bag according to claim 1, wherein said gas bag is a large-area side gas bag with a plurality of chambers, and said fabric layers for forming said chambers and forming an outside contour are interwoven in one piece, and wherein said spacers are provided in at least some of said chambers.

17. The gas bag according to claim 16, wherein said spacers extend linearly over a section of said gas bag.

18. The gas bag according to claim 16, wherein said spacers are arranged in a punctiform manner.

19. The gas bag according to claim 16, wherein said spacers extend in a ring shape.