Airbag

• US 6,913,283 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata - Petri AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata - Petri AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Heym, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Toan C
• Application Number:
  US10/444,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20030230883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/731, 280/732, 280/733, 280/743.1, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• 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 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A driver or front passenger airbag including a gas bag which can be inflated in a head-on collision to protect a motor vehicle occupant. The gas bag including two sections which are separated from one another so that the inflated gas bag has, on its front side facing the occupant to be protected, a gap which runs between the gas bag sections. The gap is spanned by a sheet so that, in the case of an impact directed toward the front side of the gas bag, the occupant to be protected is prevented by the sheet from penetrating into the gap.

Claims

1. An airbag for protecting an occupant located in a front seat of a vehicle, the airbag comprising:

a gas bag configured to be inflated in a head-on collision to protect the occupant, the gas bag including two gas bag sections that separate when the gas bag inflates to form a gap on a front side of the gas bag facing the occupant, the two gas bag sections being completely separated from each other on the front side of the inflated gas bag; and

a sheet spanning the gap so that, in the case of an impact directed toward the front side of the gas bag, the occupant to be protected is intercepted by the sheets,

wherein the gas bag is configured so that when the gas bag initially inflates, the two gas bag sections are separated by the gap, and when the gas bag further inflates, the two gas bag sections are in contact on at least one contact surface in the region of the gap, and so that on the contact surface contact forces occur which have the tendency to press the two gas bag sections apart.

2. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet extends over the front side of the gas bag.

3. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet extends over a transition region between the front side of the gas bag and the rear side of the gas bag.

4. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet is positioned spaced apart from a rear side of the gas bag.

5. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet is fastened to each of the gas bag sections.

6. The airbag of claim 5, where in the sheet is fixed to each of the gas bag sections at least one point.

7. The airbag of claim 6, wherein the sheet is fastened nondisplaceably to the gas bag.

8. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet is positioned so that during inflation of the gas bag the sheet is tightened.

9. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet is positioned to brace the gas bag sections relative to each other.

10. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet spans the gap so that, in the case of an impact directed toward the front side of the gas bag, the occupant is intercepted by the sheet.

11. The airbag of claim 10, wherein the occupant is intercepted by a region of the sheet overlying the gap.

12. The airbag of claim 11, wherein a region of the sheet-like element has no direct contact with the gas bag.

13. The airbag of claim 1, wherein during inflation of the gas, each gas bag section unfolds in a direction pointing next to the upper body of the occupant to be protected.

14. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gap extends essentially along the longitudinal direction of the upper body of the occupant.

15. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet comprises a membrane.

16. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet comprises a net.

17. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the sheet is fastened to the gas bag by at least one seam which is used for connecting different parts of the gas bag covering.

18. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas bag has precisely two gas bag sections separated from each other by means of a gap.

19. The airbag claim 1, wherein the gas bag when inflated is of essentially V-shaped design in cross section.

20. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas bag has more than two gas bag sections.

21. The airbag of claim 20, wherein the gas bag sections are arranged in a star-shaped manner.

22. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas bag further comprises a further indentation between gas bag sections.

23. The airbag of claim 1, wherein the gas bag is configured and fastened to the vehicle so that the gas bag provides protection for the knees of the occupant.