Safety device with an airbag configuration including multiple airbags for a motor vehicle

• US 6,536,799 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Wohllebe, Thomas, Sinnhuber, Ruprecht
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US09/923,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20020020990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/735, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/734, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/161 characterised by additional means for controlling deployment trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2313 comprising sensitive compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01508 detecting forces or pressure in bags or modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

A safety device for a motor vehicle includes an airbag configuration with a sensing airbag and a protective airbag. The sensing air bag is finger-shaped and has a small volume. A gas generator inflates the sensing airbag with a low power in the event of a vehicle impact. The inflated sensing airbag extends into an inflation zone of the protective airbag in order to sense any obstacle disposed therein. A touch-sensing device is connected to the front of the sensing airbag and provides a control signal when the sensing airbag encounters an obstacle. When the control device receives the control signal, the control device prevents or at least reduces the inflation of the protective airbag. When the control device does not receive the control signal, the protective airbag is inflated with full power.

Claims

1. A safety device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a single-chamber airbag configuration configured to operate as a sensing airbag and as a protective airbag, said single-chamber airbag configuration, when operating as said sensing airbag, having a main deployment direction and having a rear region as seen in the main deployment direction;

said single-chamber airbag configuration having given wall sections at said rear region and having catch straps disposed at said given wall sections, said catch straps being formed with at least one set breaking point;

said single-chamber airbag configuration being configured to be deployed in an inflation sequence, said catch straps prevent at least portions of said given wall sections from being unfolded in an initial stage of the inflation sequence such that first said single-chamber airbag configuration is inflated to operate as said sensing airbag, and, subsequent to said single-chamber airbag configuration being inflated for operating as said sensing airbag and with increasing pressure in said single-chamber airbag configuration, said catch straps tear at the at least one set breaking point and said single-chamber airbag configuration is fully inflated such that said single-chamber airbag configuration operates as said protective airbag;

said single-chamber airbag configuration, when operating as said sensing air bag, being finger-shaped and having a first volume, and said single-chamber airbag configuration, when operating as said protective airbag, having a second volume, said first volume being smaller than said second volume;

at least one gas generator configured to be activatable in a vehicle impact event and configured to inflate said single-chamber airbag configuration with a relatively lower power in order to operate as said sensing airbag substantially prior to inflating said single-chamber airbag configuration with a relatively higher power in order to operate as said protective airbag;

said single-chamber airbag configuration, when operating as said protective airbag, being inflated into a given inflation zone for providing a support function;

said single-chamber airbag configuration, when operating as said sensing airbag, being configured to extend into the given inflation zone and configured to sense an obstacle disposed in the given inflation zone;

a touch-sensing device connected to said single-chamber airbag configuration, said touch-sensing device providing a given control signal when said single-chamber airbag configuration operates as said sensing airbag and encounters the obstacle;

a control device connected to said touch-sensing device for receiving the given control signal from said touch-sensing device;

said control device, when being provided with the given control signal from said touch-sensing device, performing a control operation selected from the group consisting of preventing said at least one gas generator from further inflating said single-chamber airbag configuration in order to prevent said single-chamber airbag configuration from operating as said protective airbag and enabling said at least one gas generator to perform a reduced-power inflation function for inflating said single-chamber airbag configuration in order to operate as said protective airbag; and

said control device, when the given control signal from said touch-sensing device is absent, enabling said at least one gas generator to perform a full-power inflation function for inflating said single-chamber airbag configuration in order to operate as said protective airbag.

2. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein:

said touch-sensing device includes switch contacts; and

said switch contacts have a relative position with respect to one another and are configured to change the relative position with respect to one another for one of opening and closing an electrical path and providing the given control signal when said sensing airbag encounters the obstacle.

3. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein said touch-sensing device includes a contact film configured to one of open and close an electrical path for providing the control signal when said sensing airbag encounters the obstacle.

4. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein:

said sensing airbag has a main deployment direction and a front region as seen in the main deployment direction; and

said touch-sensing device is disposed in said front region of said sensing airbag.

5. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one gas generator is a multistage gas generator having a first stage and further stages; and

said control device controls said multistage gas generator for inflating said sensing airbag and said protective airbag such that the first stage of said multistage gas generator is ignited in order to inflate said sensing airbag, and such that, if said touch-sensing device provides the given control signal, a control operation selected from the group consisting of preventing an ignition of the further stages of said multistage gas generator and igniting at least one of the further stages for enabling said multistage gas generator to perform a reduced-power inflation function for inflating said protective airbag is performed.

6. The safety device according to claim 1, including an early crash sensor operatively connected to said control device for sensing a vehicle impact event that is relevant for activating said single-chamber airbag configuration.

7. The safety device according to claim 1, including a pre-crash sensor operatively connected to said control device for sensing, prior to a vehicle impact event, data relevant for activating said single-chamber airbag configuration.

8. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein said sensing airbag is configured to sense, as the obstacle, an out-of-position occupant.

9. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein said control device controls said at least one gas generator based on the given control signal as a sensed positional parameter and based on further positional parameters provided to said control device.

10. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein said sensing air bag extends into the given inflation zone of said protective airbag by being at least one of movable and inflatable into the given inflation zone.