Airbag arrangement

• US 7,055,857 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Marotzke, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan, Ruth
• Application Number:
  US10/777,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/739, 280/738, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/024 mounted on dash-board
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2615 for diverting the gas into a plurality of bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• 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 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/276 with means to vent the inflation fluid source, e.g. in case of overpressure B60R21/30 takes precedence; venting means on inflatable member walls B60R21/239

Abstract

An airbag arrangement including an airbag, a gas generator and a housing. The housing includes an outlet for letting gas out of the airbag arrangement and a passage for allowing gas from the gas generator into the housing. A closing device is provided. The closing device can be adjusted between an open position, in which the outlet is open and the passage is at least partially closed, and a closed position, in which the outlet opening is closed and the passage opening is open. A releasable lock is provided for locking the closing device in the open position.

Claims

1. An airbag arrangement, including

an airbag;

a gas generator for producing gas to inflate the airbag;

a housing for accommodating the airbag and/or at least part of the gas generator;

at least one outlet opening in the housing for letting gas out of the airbag arrangement;

at least one passage opening in the housing, through which gas produced by the gas generator can pass into the airbag;

a closing device which can be adjusted between an open position, in which the outlet opening is open and the passage opening is at least partially closed, and

a closed position, in which the outlet opening is closed and the passage opening is open, and

a releasable lock which locks the closing device in the open position in the inoperative state, the releasable lock being coupled to a release device which releases the lock when the airbag arrangement is activated in an accident in the absence of an out-of-position (OOP) situation, and the closing device transferring into the closed position.

2. The airbag arrangement of claim 1, wherein the release device is configured to receive a release signal from a sensor for detecting an OOP situation, which sensor produces said signal when the airbag arrangement is activated in the absence of an OOP situation.

3. The airbag arrangement of claim 1, wherein the release device includes a tension strap which, when the airbag is deployed correctly, exerts a tensile force on the releasable lock, which brings about a release of the lock.

4. The airbag arrangement of one of claim 1, wherein the releasable lock is configured to oppose a prestressing force which acts on the closing device and moves the closing device after release from the open position into the closed position.

5. The airbag arrangement of claim 1, wherein the lock includes a deformation element, the deformation of which can be electrically controlled and which is configured to receive a control signal from a control unit which produces said signal when the airbag arrangement is activated in the absence of an OOP situation, and the deformation element, after receiving the control signal, permitting or bringing about a movement of the closing device from the open position into the closed position by being deformed.

6. The airbag arrangement of claim 5, wherein the deformation element includes a bending plate.

7. The airbag arrangement of claim 1, wherein the closing device includes a control slide which can be displaced along a longitudinal axis of the housing between the open position and the closed position and the wall of which has a first cutout which, in the open position, lies over the outlet opening, so that, when the airbag arrangement is activated and there is an OOP situation, gas produced by the gas generator exits from the airbag arrangement via the first cutout and the outlet opening.

8. The airbag arrangement of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an antechamber, for at least partially accommodating the gas generator, and an airbag chamber for accommodating the airbag in the folded-up state, the antechamber and the airbag chamber being connected by the passage opening through which gas produced by the gas generator can pass from the antechamber into the airbag chamber.

9. The airbag arrangement of claim 7, wherein the control slide includes a second cutout which comes to lie over the passage opening in the closed position, so that, when the airbag arrangement is activated and an OOP situation is absent, gas produced by the gas generator enters into the airbag chamber via the second cutout and the passage opening and the airbag is correctly inflated.

10. The airbag arrangement of claim 9, the outlet opening and the passage opening and also the first and second cutouts lying opposite each other in each case.

11. The airbag arrangement of claim 9, the outlet opening and the passage opening and also the first and second cutouts being offset with respect to each other in each case along the axis of displacement of the control slide.

12. The airbag arrangement of claim 7, the control slide including a projection which runs essentially perpendicularly with respect to its displacement direction and forms an application surface for gas produced by the gas generator, as a result of which, when the airbag arrangement is activated, a displacement force in the direction of the closed position is exerted on the control slide.

13. The airbag arrangement of claim 7, the antechamber being essentially cylindrical, and the control slide being formed by a cylindrical piston which is guided in a sliding manner through the antechamber along its longitudinal axis.

14. The airbag arrangement of claim 12, the projection being annular and pointing into the interior of the piston.

15. The airbag arrangement of claim 7, the control slide being coupled to a deformation element which becomes deformed during displacement of the control slide in order thereby to control the displacement speed and/or the displacement acceleration of the control slide.

16. The airbag arrangement of claim 7, the releasable lock being formed by a pin which runs through the outer walls of the antechamber and the control slide and fixes the control slide relative to the antechamber in the open position.

17. An airbag module comprising:

an airbag, a gas generator and a housing containing the airbag, the housing including an outlet for letting gas out of the airbag arrangement and an inlet for allowing gas from the gas generator into the housing;

a closing device having an open position in which the outlet is open and the inlet is at least partially closed, and a closed position, in which the outlet opening is closed; and

a releasable lock configured to lock the closing device in the open position.