Side-impact airbag assembly

• US 6,332,628 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 21ST CENTURY GARAGE LLC
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Tschaeschke, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SLITERIS, JOSELYNN Y
• Application Number:
  US09/400,873
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

A side-impact airbag device for a passenger cell of a motor vehicle includes a window bag which, in the active, inflated state, has a window portion which at least partially covers a side window and extends between roof support pillars. At least one of the window portions of the window bag is assigned an additional window bag pillar portion which, in the active, inflated state, at least partially covers the associated pillar relative to the passenger cell and provides a cushion against the impact, in particular, of the head and shoulder area of a passenger. In the folded-up, uninflated fitted state, the window portion of the window bag lying stowed under a lateral end portion, is bounded at the front and rear by a windscreen and a rear window respectively, of the interior lining headliner which is mounted on the roof frame and the lateral end portion of which is moved when the window bag is triggered to free the deployment path. In the folded-up fitted state, the front and/or rear window bag pillar portion lie/lies stowed under the lateral end portion of the interior lining headliner and can emerge therefrom in the direction of the A or C pillar.

Claims

1. Side-impact airbag assembly for a passenger cell of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a window bag with, in the active, inflated state, a window portion which at least partially covers a side window and extends from a B pillar at least as far as a C pillar or extends from the B pillar at least as far as an A pillar, and with at least one window bag pillar portion which is assigned to the window portion and in the active, inflated state, at least partially covers the associated A or C pillar in relation to the passenger cell, in the folded-up, uninflated fitted state, the window portion and window bag pillar portion lie stowed under a lateral end portion, bounded at the front and rear by a windscreen and a rear window, of an interior lining, which is mounted on a roof frame, and the lateral end portion is moved when the window bag is triggered to free a deployment path,

wherein the window bag pillar portion emerges in a vertical and horizontal movement, obliquely forwards and downwards or rearwards and downwards in the direction of the A or C pillar, respectively, as the window bag pillar portion unfolds.

2. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein in the active state the window bag has a dividing portion which divides the window bag pillar portion at least partially from the window portion.

3. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 2, wherein the dividing portion extends vertically in the active state of the window bag.

4. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 2, wherein the window portion emerges when triggered between a headliner of the interior lining and a sealing strip arranged along a roof member.

5. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 2, wherein the window bag pillar portion emerges when triggered between a headliner of the interior lining in the region of the A or C pillar and the associated A or C pillar lining.

6. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein an exit flap which can be pivoted about a pivot to free the deployment path is provided on the lateral end portion of a headliner of the interior lining.

7. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein a front and rear end of the window portion are respectively connected to a basic structure of the A or C pillars by a strap which emerges between the corresponding A or C pillar lining and the basic structure of the A or C pillars when the window bag is unfolded.

8. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein in the active, inflated state, the straps extend horizontally approximately at a level of window ledges.

9. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein the window bag pillar portion and the window portion are connected to a common filler duct through which, when triggered, a gas flows into the window bag from a common gas generator.

10. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein the window bag pillar portion and the window portion are each assigned separate filler ducts through which, when triggered, a gas flows into the corresponding portion of the window bag from a common or respective gas generator.

11. Side-impact airbag assembly according to claim 1, wherein the A or C pillar lining is of one-piece design.

12. Side impact airbag assembly for a passenger cell of a motor vehicle which has a plurality of pillars, a side window disposed between first and second ones of said pillars, and a roof frame extending above the side window, said side impact airbag assembly comprising:

a window bag with a window portion and a pillar portion,

a window bag housing at the roof frame, and

a collision responsive window bag inflator operable to inflate the window bag and thereby deploy the bag from a folded up position in the window bag housing to an inflated passenger protecting position,

wherein the window bag and window bag housing are configured to deploy the window bag in a downward and obliquely horizontal direction with the window portion covering at least a part of the side window and the pillar portion covering at least a part of the first pillar.

13. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first pillar is an A pillar and said second pillar is a B pillar, and

wherein said side window is a front passenger cell side window.

14. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 13, wherein a further of said pillars is a C pillar, a rear side window being disposed between the C pillar and the B pillar.

15. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 14, wherein said window bag housing is disposed outside said pillars.

16. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 15, wherein said window bag and window bag housing are configured such that said window bag covers at least a portion of the C pillar when in the inflated position.

17. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 16, wherein said window bag includes a dividing portion which divides the pillar portion from the window portion.

18. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 16, further comprising a window bag holding strap which pulls a lower part of the window bag toward a pillar when the window bag is in the inflated position.

19. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 16, wherein a front window bag holding strap is provided which pulls a lower front part of the window bag toward an A pillar and a rear window bag holding strap is provided which pulls a lower rear part of the window bag toward a C pillar, when the window bag is in an inflated position.

20. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 12, wherein said window bag housing is disposed outside said pillars.

21. Side impact airbag assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a window bag holding strap which pulls a lower part of the window bag toward a pillar when the window bag is in the inflated position.