Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 6,543,804 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Fischer, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US09/732,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/730.2, 280/729, 280/736, 280/741, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23184 Tubular air bags connected to the vehicle at their two extremities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a gas supply means which has an outer housing with at least two outlet openings. The restraint system further comprises at least two inflatable elements to which different outlet openings are associated and which are filled in parallel via the associated outlet openings. The outlet openings are designed such that during inflation of the elements gas flow rates through the individual outlet openings to the inflatable elements are different.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

a gas supply means including an outer housing with at least two outlet openings for providing inflation gas, and

at least two inflatable elements inflatable by said inflation gas, said inflatable elements, when inflated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant,

one of said outlet openings being in flow connection with one of said inflatable elements, and the other of said outlet openings being in flow connection with the other of said inflatable elements, and

said outlet openings having different cross-sections for providing different gas flow rates of said inflation gas through each of said outlet openings to each of said corresponding inflatable elements upon inflation of said inflatable elements.

2. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

a gas supply means including an outer housing with at least two outlet openings for providing inflation gas, and

at least two inflatable elements inflatable by said inflation gas, said inflatable elements, when inflated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant,

one of said outlet openings being in flow connection with one of said inflatable elements, and the other of said outlet openings being in flow connection with the other of said inflatable elements, and

gas flow rates of said inflation gas being different through each of said outlet openings to each of said corresponding inflatable elements upon inflation of said inflatable elements,

wherein each of said outlet openings have different cross-sections.

3. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

a gas supply means including an outer housing with at least two outlet openings for providing inflation gas, and

at least two inflatable elements inflatable by said inflation gas, said inflatable elements, when inflated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant,

one of said outlet openings being in flow connection with one of said inflatable elements, and the other of said outlet openings being in flow connection with the other of said inflatable elements, and

gas flow rates of said inflation gas being different through each of said outlet openings to each of said corresponding inflatable elements upon inflation of said inflatable elements,

wherein said inflatable elements have predetermined filling volumes and said different gas flow rates generating different internal pressures in each of said inflatable elements after a predetermined time during inflation of said inflatable elements.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 3 wherein said gas supply means comprises a gas generator which is located in said outer housing, and wherein a pressure compensation space is formed between said gas generator and said outer housing.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 4 wherein the same pressure exists in said pressure compensation space directly before each of said outlet openings.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 4 wherein said gas supply means has two opposite axial ends and one outlet opening is disposed at one axial end and the other outlet opening is disposed at the other axial end, and wherein said gas generator is disposed at a roof frame behind a vehicle front seat and in front of a seat of a rear occupant, one inflatable element each extending from said axial ends of said gas supply means to the front and to the rear.