Side gas bag and side gas bag module for a vehicle occupant protection device

• US 7,066,488 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Scherr, Jürgen, Strukelj, Andrej, Steinbrück, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/637,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 280/742
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• 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

A side gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system includes an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16). There is provided an inflatable pouch (18) in the inflation region of the gas bag (14) inside the gas bag covering (16). There is further proposed a side gas bag module including such side gas bag.

Claims

1. A side gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system, said side gas bag having an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16), said side gas bag being provided with an inflatable pouch (18) in an inflation region of said gas bag (14) inside said gas bag covering (16), said pouch (18) having an elongated, tubular shape with opposite first and second end faces (20, 22), said first end face (20) being constructed as an inflation opening, said second end face (22) being constructed as an outflow opening and being provided with a tear seam (24) which tears open at a predetermined internal pressure of said pouch (18) and thereby opens said outflow opening, wherein no gas flows out of said pouch during the inflation of said pouch (18) and before the outflow opening is open.

2. A side gas bag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system, said module (10) comprising at least one side gas bag (14) including an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16), said side gas bag being provided with an inflatable pouch (18) in an inflation region of said gas bag (14) inside said gas bag covering (16), said pouch (18) having an elongated, tubular shape with opposite first and second end faces (20, 22), said first end face (20) being constructed as an inflation opening, said second end face (22) being constructed as an outflow opening and being provided with a tear seam (24) which tears open at a predetermined internal pressure of said pouch (18) and thereby opens said outflow opening, said module (10) comprising another side gas bag symmetrical with said first mentioned side gas bag (14), said another side gas bag (14) including an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16), said another side gas bag being provided with an inflatable pouch (18) in an inflation region of said gas bag (14) inside said gas bag covering (16), said pouch (18) of said another side gas bag (14) having an elongated, tubular shape with opposite first and second end faces (20, 22), said first end face (20) of said pouch (18) of said another side gas bag (14) being constructed as an inflation opening, said second end face (22) of said pouch (18) of said another side gas bag (14) being constructed as an outflow opening and being provided with a tear seam (24) which tears open at a predetermined internal pressure of said pouch (18) of said another side gas bag (14) and thereby opens said outflow opening.

3. A side gas bag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system, said module (10) comprising at least one side gas bag (14) including an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16), said side gas bag being provided with an inflatable pouch (18) in an inflation region of said gas bag (14) inside said gas bag covering (16), said pouch (18) having an elongated, tubular shape with opposite first and second end faces (20, 22), said first end face (20) being constructed as an inflation opening, said second end face (22) being constructed as an outflow opening and being provided with a tear seam (24) which tears open at a predetermined internal pressure of said pouch (18) and thereby opens said outflow opening, wherein no gas flows out of said pouch (18) during the inflation of said pouch (18) and before the outflow opening is open.

4. A side gas bag for a vehicle occupant restraint system, said side gas bag having an inflatable volume which is delimited by an exterior gas bag covering (16), said side gas bag being provided with an inflatable pouch (18) in an inflation region of said gas bag (14) inside said gas bag covering (16), said pouch (18) having an elongated, tubular shape with opposite first and second end faces (20, 22), said first end face (20) being constructed as an inflation opening, said second end face (22) being constructed as an outflow opening and being provided with a tear seam (24) which tears open at a predetermined internal pressure of said pouch (18) and thereby opens said outflow opening, wherein the gas of said pouch only flows out of the outflow opening.