Side impact restraint device

• US 7,475,904 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hofmann, Sven, Acker, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US11/047,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20050184493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/739
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0044 Chest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0058 Shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A side impact restraint device for protection of an occupant (20a; 20b), sitting on a vehicle seat (10) in a motor vehicle, includes a gas bag (14). The gas bag (14) unfolds between a lateral structure (12) of the vehicle and the occupant (20a; 20b). The gas bag has an outflow opening (24) which is arranged in a region (26) of the gas bag (14) facing the occupant (20a: 20b). The vertical position of the outflow opening (24) is selected so that it is not covered by the upper body of a small occupant (20a).

Claims

1. A side impact restraint device for protection of an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat (10) in a motor vehicle, the device being responsive to whether the occupant is a first occupant (20a) or a second occupant (20b), the second occupant (20b) being larger than the first occupant (20a), the device comprising:

a gas bag (14), which unfolds between a lateral structure (12) of the vehicle and the occupant (20a;

20b),

the gas bag (14) having an outflow opening (24) which is arranged in a region of the gas bag (14) facing the occupant, the vertical position of the outflow opening (24) being selected so that said outflow opening (24) is not covered by an upper body region of the first occupant (20a) but covered by-an upper body region of the second occupant (20b) in an inflated state of the gas bag (14) such that the gas bag (14) has an internal pressure controlled by the outflow opening (24) as a function of the size of the occupant, wherein the gas bag (18) unfolds out from the vehicle seat (10).

2. The side impact restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the outflow opening (24) is located in a region (26) which in relation to the hip joint region of the first and second occupants (20a;

20b) extends between a height (h₁) of 400 mm and a height (h₂) of 550 mm.

3. The side impact restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag (14) has a further outflow opening (22) which is arranged in a region of a lower section (18) of the gas bag (14) not facing the occupant (20a;

20b).

4. The side impact restraint device according to claim 1, wherein the gas bag (14) in the inflated state, viewed in longitudinal direction of the vehicle, has an upper section (16) and a lower section (18) widened compared with the upper section (16), the lower section (18) extending solely above the hip joint region of the first and second occupants (20a;

20b).

5. A side impact restraint device for protection of an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat (10) in a motor vehicle, the device being responsive to whether the occupant is a first occupant (20a) or a second occupant (20b), the second occupant (20b) being larger than the first occupant (20a), the device comprising:

a gas bag (14), which unfolds between a lateral structure (12) of the vehicle and the occupant,

the gas bag (14) having an outflow opening (24) which is arranged in a region of the gas bag (14) facing the occupant, the vertical position of the outflow opening (24) being selected so that said outflow opening (24) is not covered by an upper body region of the first occupant (20a), wherein an arrangement for deflecting the oufflowing gas is provided at the outflow opening (24).

6. The side impact restraint device according to claim 5, wherein the arrangement comprises a fabric piece (28) arranged on the outer side of the gas bag (14) over the outflow opening (24).

7. The side impact restraint device according to claim 6, wherein the fabric piece (28) comprises a first fabric section (30) lying directly over the outflow opening (24), the first fabric section (30) having an opening (32) corresponding to the outflow opening (24), and a second fabric section (34) covering the outflow opening (24) and the opening (32) formed in the first fabric section (30), the second fabric section (34) being fastened on the first fabric section (30) so that the gas emerging through the outflow opening (24) can only escape on a side facing away from one of the first and second occupants (20a;

20b).

8. The side impact restraint device according to claim 5, wherein the gas bag (14) in the inflated state, viewed in longitudinal direction of the vehicle, has an upper section (16) and a lower section (18) widened compared with the upper section (16), the lower section (18) extending solely above the hip joint regions of the first and second occupants (20a;

20b).

9. The side impact restraint device according to claim 5, wherein the outflow opening (24) is located in a region (26) which in relation to the hip joint region of the first and second occupants (20a;

20b) extends between a height (h₁) of 400 mm and a height (h₂) of 550 mm.

10. The side impact restraint device according to claim 5, wherein the gas bag (14) has a further outflow opening (22) which is arranged in a region of a lower section (18) of the gas bag (14) not facing the first and second occupants (20a;

20b).