Pedestrian airbag arrangement

• US 8,727,061 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rydsmo, Erik, Hillstrm, Mikael, Pucher, Florian, Zauritz, Ralf, Koestler, Ulrich, Magnusson, Ulf
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DREW J
• Application Number:
  US13/981,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20130333972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 180/274, 280/743.2, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23388 having ends which are movable or detachable during deployment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/36 using airbags

Abstract

A pedestrian airbag arrangement for a vehicle includes an airbag covering at least a part of the windscreen and/or at least a part of at least one A-pillar of the vehicle when it is in deployed state, an inflator in fluid connection to the airbag, and a retraction means for retracting the airbag. The retraction means includes a triggering means and a retractor retracting the airbag when released by the triggering means. In order to provide an automatic retraction of the airbag, the triggering means is activated by the airbag.

Claims

1. A pedestrian airbag arrangement for a vehicle having a windscreen, the arrangement comprising:

a pedestrian airbag covering at least a part of the windscreen and/or at least a part of at least one A-pillar of the vehicle when in deployed state;

an inflator in fluid connection to the airbag; and

a retraction means for retracting the airbag, the retraction means including a triggering means and a retractor retracting the airbag when released by the triggering means, the triggering means activated by the airbag.

2. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the triggering means is activated by a force occurring on inflation of the airbag.

3. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the triggering means is activated when a defined section of the airbag reaches a predetermined position.

4. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the retractor includes a pre-loaded spring element.

5. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 4, wherein the retractor includes a reel and the spring element is a constant force spring acting on the reel.

6. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is connected to the triggering means via an activation pull element.

7. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 6, wherein the activation pull element is connected to a pivotable, displaceable or breakable member being a part of the triggering means.

8. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 6, wherein the triggering means includes a rotary mounted bolt having a thread and a nut threaded onto the thread and being non-rotary mounted such that the nut is displaced in an axial direction when the bolt rotates, wherein the activation pull element is partially wound onto the bolt or an element being in fixed connection to the bolt.

9. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is connected to the retractor via a retraction pull element.

10. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 9, wherein the activation pull element and the retraction pull element are a common pull element.

11. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 9, wherein the activation pull element and the retraction pull element are different pull elements.

12. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the airbag retraction means also influence ventilation of the airbag.

13. The pedestrian airbag according to claim 1, wherein the triggering means includes a mechanical delay.

14. A pedestrian airbag arrangement for a vehicle having a windscreen, the arrangement comprising:

a pedestrian airbag covering at least a part of the windscreen and/or at least a part of at least one A-pillar of the vehicle when in deployed state;

an inflator in fluid connection to the airbag; and

a triggering device and a retractor retracting the airbag when released by the triggering device, the triggering device activated by the airbag.