Inflatable air bag system which serves as a protective wall in front of a vehicle sidewall
First Claim
1. An air-bag device which can be inflated as a protective wall in front of a vehicle side wall having vertical pillars, the air-bag device comprising:
- a plurality of air-bag chambers; and
a gas generator operatively connected to the chambers so as to fill the chambers as a plurality of restraint cushions, the air-bag chambers being foldable in an inoperative state and movable from the inoperative state into a restraint position in which at least parts of the vehicle side wall are covered, at least one of the restraint cushions being configured as a gas distributor cushion which is a first of the plurality of restraint cushions to be subjected to a gas mass flow from the gas generator, the gas distributor cushion being configured to at least partially cover one of the vertical pillars in the restraint position, the gas distributor cushion having discharge openings through which portions of the gas mass flow from the gas generator can be supplied to the other of the restraint cushions, in the restraint position at least one upper filling channel is provided in a fixed position in a region of a lateral vehicle roof longitudinal member and at least one lower filling channel lies above a vehicle window parapet, the filling channels being connected to the discharge openings for filling the other restraint cushions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to an inflatable air bag system (10) which serves as a protective wall in front of a vehicle sidewall (1). Said air bag system comprises a plurality of restraint cushions which can be inflated by a gas generator (12). According to the invention, at least one of the restraint cushions is configured as a gas distributor cushion (11) which is the first to be impinged upon by a gas mass flow from the gas generator (2). Said restraint cushion is at least partially covered in the restraint position of one of the vertical pillars, preferably a B-pillar (7). The gas distributor pillow (11) comprises discharge openings through which the portions of the gas mass flow can be delivered, optionally via filling channels (20 to 23), from the gas generator (12) to additional restraint cushions (24, 25). Such an arrangement permits the gas distributor cushion (11) to rapidly cover an assigned vertical column (7) and permits the connected restraint cushions (24, 25) to fill rapidly. The gas mass flows can be controlled in a selective manner according to conditions during the inflation process by varying the dimensions of the filling channels (20 to 23) and by optionally using valves (33; 40).
16 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An air-bag device which can be inflated as a protective wall in front of a vehicle side wall having vertical pillars, the air-bag device comprising:
- a plurality of air-bag chambers; and
a gas generator operatively connected to the chambers so as to fill the chambers as a plurality of restraint cushions, the air-bag chambers being foldable in an inoperative state and movable from the inoperative state into a restraint position in which at least parts of the vehicle side wall are covered, at least one of the restraint cushions being configured as a gas distributor cushion which is a first of the plurality of restraint cushions to be subjected to a gas mass flow from the gas generator, the gas distributor cushion being configured to at least partially cover one of the vertical pillars in the restraint position, the gas distributor cushion having discharge openings through which portions of the gas mass flow from the gas generator can be supplied to the other of the restraint cushions, in the restraint position at least one upper filling channel is provided in a fixed position in a region of a lateral vehicle roof longitudinal member and at least one lower filling channel lies above a vehicle window parapet, the filling channels being connected to the discharge openings for filling the other restraint cushions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- a plurality of air-bag chambers; and
Specification