Side collision protection system for vehicles

• US 6,457,742 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Brucker, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US09/600,751
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/729, 280/743.1, 280/739, 280/730.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23386 External tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2358 Bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2342 Tear seams

Abstract

A side impact protection system for vehicles comprises an inflatable gas bag (10) which has a wall made of a material being impermeable to gas, and a gas source (3) for inflating the gas bag. For reducing peak loads upon diving of the occupant into the inflated gas bag there are provided several burst chambers (12, 14, 16) separated in their contour shape from the inflatable volume of the gas bag (10) by retaining means (18). The retaining means (18) of the burst chambers (12, 14, 16) are dimensioned as regards their strength such that the burst chambers (12, 14, 16) is opened towards the inflatable volume of the gas bag (10) once a predetermined value of the gas bag internal pressure, which is lower than the filling pressure of the filling gases provided by the gas source (3), has been attained.

Claims

1. A side impact protection system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, said system comprising:

an inflatable gas bag having an inflatable volume and a gas source, said gas source providing filling gases for filling said inflatable volume of said gas bag to a filling pressure,

the wall of the gas bag being essentially gas-tight due to an internal coating,

said gas bag further comprising a plurality of burst chambers and a plurality of tear seams separating said burst chambers from said inflatable volume of said gas bag in an essentially gas tight manner, said burst chambers not being filled with said filling gas on inflation,

each of said tear seams having a value of tearing strength,

said values of tearing strength being such that said burst chambers open with differing values of internal pressure of said gas bag,

said values of internal pressure exceeding said filling pressure of said filling gases provided by said gas source.

2. The side impact protection system set forth in claim 1, wherein said burst chambers are each differing in size.