Impact protection device and method of providing an impact protection

• US 6,659,502 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Breyvogel, Jörg, Fehrmann, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/094,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.1, 280/730.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

An impact protection device for vehicle occupants includes a gas bag having a segment and a lateral segment. The gas bag is connected to a gas generator so that gas produced by the gas generator can flow into the gas bag. In a folded-up state of the gas bag the lateral segment is disposed adjacent to the segment in such a manner that when the gas bag is inflated, the lateral segment can execute a swiveling movement away from the segment about a swivel axis so that the gas bag is transferred into an at least partially unfolded state. A method of providing an impact protection for vehicle occupants is also provided.

Claims

1. An impact protection device for protecting vehicle occupants, comprising:

a gas bag including a segment and a lateral segment adjacent said segment;

a gas generator connected to said gas bag such that gas produced by said gas generator can flow into said gas bag;

said gas bag defining an unfolding plane and a longitudinal direction extending in the unfolding plane;

said gas bag having a transition region between said segment and said lateral segment and a swivel axis extending along said transition region;

said segment and said lateral segment being disposed laterally adjacent one another with respect to the longitudinal direction, when said gas bag is in a non-activated, unfolded state;

said gas bag being foldable transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction;

said lateral segment being swivelable about the swivel axis onto said segment, when said segment and said lateral segment are folded-up transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction;

said gas bag being configured such that, when said gas bag is inflated with gas produced by said gas generator, said segment is substantially completely unfolded before an unfolding of said lateral segment starts, and said lateral segment performs a swiveling movement away from said segment such that said gas bag is at least in a partially unfolded state;

said gas generator defining a gas flow direction along which gas flows from said gas generator into said gas bag; and

said lateral segment having lateral flow channels formed therein, said lateral flow channels extending substantially transversely to the gas flow direction when said gas bag is in an unfolded state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said gas bag has a concertina-folded shape.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel axis extends substantially parallel to the gas flow direction.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel axis extends substantially transversely to the gas flow direction.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the swiveling movement covers an angle of at least 90°

.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the swiveling movement covers an angle of substantially 180°

.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

said gas bag has a folding seam extending between said segment and said lateral segment; and

the swivel axis extends along said folding seam.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said segment has flow channels formed therein, said flow channels extend substantially parallel to the gas flow direction when said gas bag is in the unfolded state.

9. A method of providing an impact protection for vehicle occupants, the method which comprises:

providing a gas bag having a segment, a lateral segment, and a transition region between the segment and the lateral segment;

providing the gas bag such that the segment and the lateral segment are disposed laterally adjacent one another with respect to a given longitudinal direction when the gas bag is in a non-activated, unfolded state;

folding the gas bag transversely with respect to the given longitudinal direction for providing a folded-up segment and a folded-up lateral segment;

swiveling the folded-up lateral segment about a swivel axis extending along the transition region between the segment and the lateral segment such that the folded-up lateral segment is swiveled onto the folded-up segment;

connecting a gas generator to the gas bag; and

unfolding the gas bag by substantially completely unfolding the segment before starting an unfolding of the lateral segment.