Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 7,784,823 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heigl, Juergen, Fischer, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRISBY, KEITH J
• Application Number:
  US11/986,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system has a side gas bag which is arranged folded along a roof frame of a vehicle. The side gas bag is configured such that in an inflated condition a front inflatable section at a front end of the side gas bag projects further into the vehicle interior than an inflatable portion adjoining the front inflatable section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

a side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414) which in a folded condition is arranged folded along a roof frame (16) of a vehicle,

the side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414) having a front inflatable section (20) at a front end of the side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414) and an inflatable portion (22) adjoining the front inflatable section (20) in the longitudinal direction (R) of the vehicle,

the side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414) being configured such that in an inflated condition the front inflatable section (20) projects further into the vehicle interior than the inflatable portion (22) adjoining the front inflatable section (20), wherein in the inflated condition the side gas bag (314;

314′

) is folded over in the region of the front inflatable section (20), so that a first inflatable partial section (362;

362′

) lies on a second inflatable partial section (364;

364′

).

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414) is of a curtain-type design.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front inflatable section (20) covers part of an A-pillar (30) of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front inflatable section (20) forms a ramp directed into the vehicle interior.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front inflatable section (20) exhibits a curvature into the vehicle interior.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein in a flat spread out condition, the side gas bag (314) has two attachment points (44a, 44b) on the edge of the front inflatable section (20) and the two attachment points (44a, 44b) lie one on top of the other when the side gas bag (314) is installed in the vehicle and is in its inflated condition.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a partial section (362) of the front inflatable section (20) is folded over along a line running through a point (P) at the lower edge (348) of the side gas bag (314).

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the side gas bag (314;

314′

) has a straight lower edge section (348) and, in the flat spread out condition of the side gas bag (314;

314′

), a section at the front end of the side gas bag (314;

314′

) projects beyond a prolongation of the lower edge section (348) of the side gas bag (314;

314′

).

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 8, wherein in the installed and inflated condition of the side gas bag (314′

), the first inflatable partial section (362′

) is folded over substantially perpendicular to the prolongation of the lower edge section (348) of the side gas bag (314′

).

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein in at least one of the inflatable sections (20, 22), means (250) are provided which limit the distance of the gas bag walls (24, 28) in the inflated condition of the side gas bag (14;

214;

314;

314′

;

414).

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front end of the side gas bag (314;

314′

) has a non-inflatable section (360) which is attached to the vehicle for bracing.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front inflatable section (20) of the side gas bag (414) in the inflated condition is bent through approximately 90 degrees into the vehicle interior.

13. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a separate front gas bag (18) is provided additionally and in the inflated condition the front inflatable section (20) can rest against the front gas bag (18).

14. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the front inflatable section (20) extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between a windshield (466) of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant (12).