Vehicle occupant restraint system comprising an inflatable gas bag

• US 8,292,325 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Germany GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata AG (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Schwann, Martin, Hallbauer, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US13/185,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20110266782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 280/739, 280/728.1, 280/730.2, 280/731, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/739
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23316 Inner seams, e.g. creating separate compartments or used as tethering means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2395 comprising means to control the venting
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a gas bag inflatable with gas, which includes at least one first fabric layer and one second fabric layer, which are connected with each other along their edge by means of a peripheral seam, and at least one outflow opening via which gas can flow out of the gas bag, wherein the outflow opening is formed by an interruption of the peripheral seam, wherein the peripheral seam is interrupted such that it comprises on both sides of the outflow opening a portion extending substantially vertical to the adjoining edge of the gas bag and ending at the edge of the gas bag, and at least one additional seam formed in the region of the outflow opening is provided, which at least partly closes the outflow opening, wherein the additional seam is designed such that it opens during the inflation process.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising

a gas bag configured to be inflated with gas, which includes a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer connected with each other along their edges by a peripheral seam, and

an outflow opening via which the gas can flow out of the gas bag, wherein the outflow opening is formed by an interruption of the peripheral seam such that the peripheral seam comprises first and second portions located on opposite sides of the outflow opening, and wherein the first and second portions extend continuously with adjacent peripheral seam segments and extend substantially perpendicular to an outer edge of the gas bag, and end at the outer edge of the gas bag, and

an additional seam formed in a region of the outflow opening that at least partly closes the outflow opening, wherein the additional seam is configured such that it opens during an inflation process.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam is configured such that it closes the outflow opening until reaching a condition that occurs during the inflation process.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam is configured such that it opens before a vehicle occupant to be restrained comes into contact with the gas bag.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the gas bag is substantially continuous in the region of the outflow opening.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein in an inflated condition of the gas bag the outflow opening is configured to form a substantially cylindrical region.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the outflow opening is arranged in the peripheral seam of the gas bag such that it is not closed by contact of the gas bag with a vehicle occupant to be restrained or with intruding vehicle components.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 6, wherein the gas bag is formed as a side gas bag and the outflow opening is formed at a front region of the gas bag with respect to a vehicle direction.

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam extends substantially parallel to the outer edge of the gas bag in the region of the outflow opening.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam extends substantially perpendicular to the outer edge of the gas bag in the region of the outflow opening.

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam completely closes the outflow opening.

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a strength of the additional seam is adapted to an out of position situation such that the additional seam is configured to open before an internal pressure in the gas bag becomes out of position critical.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam partly closes the outflow opening.

13. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral seam is located substantially parallel to the outer edge of the gas bag in regions adjacent to the outflow opening and the peripheral seam turns to form the first and second portions such that the first and second portions are substantially parallel to each other.

14. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the additional seam intersects the peripheral seam at least once.

15. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 4, wherein the outer edge of the gas bag has no recesses or indentations in the region of the outflow opening.

16. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge of the gas bag is substantially linear in the region of the outflow opening.