Gas bag protection device

• US 6,431,589 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• 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, Heigl, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sliteris, Joselynn Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/665,755
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23547 one piece weaving
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/02 Inflatable articles

Abstract

A gas bag protection device with a gas bag to which two opposing plies of fabric are assigned. The plies of fabric consist of warp and weft threads and are sectionwise connected to each other by integral interweaving so as to form at least one inflatable chamber. The plies of fabric are integrally interwoven in a portion by at least one of the warp and weft threads in such a manner that the at least one thread forms a sacrificial thread which bursts in a restraint situation.

Claims

1. A gas bag protection device with gas bag to which two opposing plies of fabric are assigned, which consist of warp and weft threads and are section-wise connected to each other by integral interweaving so as to form at least one inflatable chamber,

said plies of fabric being integrally interwoven in a destructible portion by at least one of said warp and weft threads in such a manner that said at least one thread forms a sacrificial thread which bursts in a restraint situation,

at least one of said inflatable chambers being designed as a large-volume chamber and said destructible portion forming a gas deflection within said large-volume chamber.

2. The gas bag protection device according to claim 1, wherein the destructible portion extends linearly.

3. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a durably woven portion is provided and wherein said destructible portion is arranged such that it prevents the direct flow against said durably woven portion when said gas bag is filled.

4. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said gas bag is a large-area side gas bag.

5. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a ply of fabric is provided which forms a cover for said gas bag in a folded condition, said ply of fabric being closed by a portion destructible on deployment of said gas bag.

6. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein two chambers arranged adjacent to each other have a partition wall between them and wherein a destructible portion extends slightly spaced away from and substantially parallel to at least one of a rim of said gas bag and said partition wall.

7. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a roof frame is provided and grab handles to be secured thereto by means of fastening screws, said gas bag being a head/side gas bag having through holes for leading through of said fastening screws of said grab handles, said through holes being surrounded by a durably integrally woven section, and wherein a destructible portion formed by a sacrificial thread is disposed to a side of said durably woven, section surrounding said through holes.

8. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said gas bag comprises a rim, said two opposing plies of fabric being connected to each other at said rim of said gas bag and defining at least one chamber which can be filled with gas, said two plies of fabric being integrally interwoven section-wise, and wherein at least one sacrificial thread is provided, connecting to each other said plies of fabric in said portion of said at least one inflatable chamber.

9. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a durably woven section is provided and said sacrificial thread defines a destructible portion upstream of said durably woven section and spaced away therefrom.

10. A gas bag protection device with gas bag to which two opposing plies of fabric are assigned, which consist of warp and weft threads and are section-wise connected to each other by integral interweaving so as to form at least one inflatable chamber,

said plies of fabric being integrally interwoven in a destructible portion by at least one of said warp and weft threads in such a manner that said at least one thread forms a sacrificial thread which bursts-in a restraint situation,

at least one of said inflatable chambers being designed as a large-volume chamber and said destructible portion forming a gas deflection at an entry to said large-volume chamber.

11. The gas bag protection device according to claim 10, wherein said destructible portion extends linearly.

12. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a durably woven section is provided and wherein said destructible portion is arranged such that it prevents a direct flow against said durably woven section when said gas bag is filled.

13. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said gas bag is a large-area side gas bag.

14. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a roof frame is provided and grab handles to be secured thereto by means of fastening screws, said gas bag being a head/side gas bag having through holes for leading through of said fastening screws of said grab handles, said through holes being surrounded by a durably integrally woven section, and wherein a destructible portion formed by a sacrificial thread is disposed to a side of said durably woven section surrounding said through holes.

15. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 10, wherein two chambers arranged adjacent to each other have a partition wall between them and wherein a destructible portion extends slightly spaced away from and substantially parallel to at least one of a rim of said gas bag and said partition wall.

16. The gas bag protection device as set forth in claim 10, wherein a ply of fabric is provided which forms a cover for said gas bag in a folded condition, said ply of fabric being closed by a portion destructible on deployment of said gas bag.