Passenger protection device in a motor vehicle with an airbag module

• US 6,942,246 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Höhne, Frank, Walter, Krönes
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/333,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 280/731, 280/728.3
• US Class Current: 280/731
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21543 with emblems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21656 Steering wheel covers or similar cup-shaped covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a passenger protection device on the steering wheel (2) of a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel airbag module which is arranged behind the cap (1) of the hub of a steering wheel, containing at least one steering wheel airbag (10; 28; 39) and at least one gas generator. The hub cap (1) has a fixed center area (8; 21; 29) acting as a first wall area around which a second wall area (7; 24; 33) which is directly adjacent to an edge area (12; 23; 31) is arranged. When the airbag is activated, an annular gap (5) can be formed in the second wall area (7; 24; 33) around the fixed center area (8; 21; 23), the steering wheel airbag (10; 28; 39) being embodied in a correspondingly ring-shaped manner with a tubular area (11) which is associated with the annular gap (5) and extends therefrom when inflated. According to the invention, the annular gap (5) can be formed directly around the fixed center area (8; 21; 29) when the airbag is activated by expanding and/or tearing open at least the adjacent edge area (12; 23; 31) of the second wall area (7; 24; 33).

Claims

1. A passenger protection device on a steering wheel of a vehicle with a steering wheel airbag module, the steering wheel airbag module being mounted behind a hub cover and containing at least one folded airbag and at least one gas generator, the hub cover having a stationary center area as first wall area about which is mounted a second wall area directly joined to the first wall area by an edge connection area, it being possible for an annular gap to be formed around the stationary center area in the second wall area in an event of airbag activation, the airbag being correspondingly annular in form with a tubular area associated with the annular gap and emerging from such gap when the airbag is in an inflated state, and it being possible for the annular gap to be formed immediately around the stationary center area in the event of airbag activation as a result of expansion and opening of at least the edge connection area of the second wall area,

characterized in that

the edge connection area of the second wall area is clamped to the stationary center area when the passenger protection device has not been activated, and the edge connection area is extracted from the clamping by the airbag during inflation and is expanded and opened around the stationary center area for formation of the annular gap.

2. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary center area rests by a center edge area on the edge connection area of the second wall area and wherein the edge connection area is clamped between the center edge area and a clamping element.

3. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clamping element clamps the edge connection area.

4. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stationary center area is laminar in form and may be fastened to a central and substantially vertically oriented pin extension on the airbag module, and the clamping element is in the shape of a trough with a trough edge as clamping element edge area and has a central opening through which the pin extension of the stationary center area extends effecting positive locking.

5. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary center area has on a circumferential surface a circumferential groove into which the edge connection area of the second wall area may be snapped in such a way that the edge connection area is extracted from the circumferential groove by the inflating airbag and is expanded and opened by the inflating airbag to form the annular gap around the center element.

6. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary center area rests on the airbag module for orientation with feet and wherein the stationary center area is fastened by way of a central and substantially vertically oriented pin extension on the airbag module housing.

7. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the first wall area forming the stationary center area and surrounded by the annular gap is rigidly connected to the airbag module and

at least one part of a housing-wall of the airbag module forms the stationary center area as visible surface.

8. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular gap is substantially circular in form and encloses a first wall area in the form of a substantially circular surface as stationary center area.

9. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular gap which may be formed in the event of airbag activation in the second wall area is bounded by an edge area of an ornamental cap, in such a way that this edge area may be bent outward by an airbag forcing its way out of the annular gap to enlarge the annular gap and to form a guide surface.

10. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is formed below the annular gap an annular exit channel which is bounded by channel walls a shape of which is adapted to a predetermined exit behavior of the airbag.

11. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary center area is formed by a stationary ornamental cap.

12. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is introduced below the stationary center area an insulating material and wherein the second wall area is at least in part in the form of a leather cover.

13. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stationary center area is laminar in form and may be fastened to a central and substantially vertically oriented pin extension on the airbag module, and the clamping element is in the shape of a trough with a trough edge as clamping element edge area and has a central opening through which the pin extension of the stationary center area extends effecting positive locking.

14. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the stationary center is fastened on a diffusor on the airbag module.

15. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stationary center area rests on the airbag module for orientation with feet and wherein the stationary center area is fastened by way of a central and substantially vertically oriented pin extension on the airbag module housing.

16. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stationary center area rests on a diffusor on the airbag module.

17. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stationary center area is fastened by means of a threaded connection.

18. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ornamental cap is in the form of a cover as the stationary center area.

19. The passenger protection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the insulating material is a foam material.