Restraint system for front vehicle occupants

• US 8,038,169 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Rick, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US12/266,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/732
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• 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

Abstract

A restraint system is provided that includes, but is not limited to at least one airbag module having an airbag having at least one chamber for front vehicle occupants in a vehicle, a space at a distance from the windshield between dashboard and front vehicle occupant being fillable using the airbag by unfolding. To improve the vehicle comfort and the passenger safety according to the current and future requirements and provide more interior space, the airbag module is fastenable to a vehicle body structure forming the front vehicle interior, the restraint system being implemented using an airbag enlarged by a depth (T) of a dashboard.

Claims

1. A restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag module comprising an airbag;

at least one chamber of the airbag for a front vehicle occupant on a passenger side of the vehicle; and

a space at a distance to a windshield of the vehicle between a dashboard and a front vehicle occupant position that is adapted to fill with an unfolding of the airbag, wherein;

the dashboard is left out on the passenger side of the vehicle leaving a dashboard-free space;

the airbag module is fastened to a windshield crossbeam, the windshield crossbeam supporting a bottom side of the windshield; and

the airbag unfolding in an inflated state from the dashboard-free space in a direction of the front vehicle occupant position.

2. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a lateral airbag extension for cushioning in relation to at least one lateral A-column.

3. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has an upper airbag extension for cushioning in relation to a front roof frame structure.

4. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a leg airbag for cushioning foot extremities.

5. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a lateral airbag extension for cushioning in relation to a central console.

6. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a separate leg airbag module is situated for a foot area that is particularly coupled to an upper airbag module for activation.

7. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has at least one of a thorax chamber or a head chamber.

8. The restraint system according claim 6, wherein the airbag of the upper airbag module envelops an entire front contour of a vehicle occupant.

9. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is implemented as a multi-chamber airbag.

10. The restraint system according to claim 9, wherein the multi-chamber airbag has at least one tear seam that partition a plurality of chambers.

11. The restraint system according to claim 9, wherein the multi-chamber airbag has an overflow opening.

12. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module has a gas generator having at least one triggering stages.

13. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag module has a variable gas generator.

14. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag comprises at least one light airbag fabric for each section of the airbag.

15. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is folded in a chamber under vacuum.

16. The restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the dashboard is exclusively situated on a driver side of a front vehicle interior of the vehicle.

17. The restraint system according to claim 16, wherein the airbag is adapted to enlarge by a depth (T) of the dashboard.

18. The restraint system according to claim 1, the front vehicle occupant position corresponding to the passenger side of a front vehicle interior of the vehicle, wherein the dashboard does not occupy space in front of the front vehicle occupant position.

19. The restraint system of claim 1, further comprising a second airbag module fastened to the windshield crossbeam, the second airbag module including a leg airbag for cushioning foot extremities.

20. A restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:

an airbag module comprising an airbag, the airbag module being fastened to a windshield crossbeam supporting a bottom side of a windshield of the vehicle;

at least one chamber of the airbag for a front vehicle occupant on a passenger side of a front vehicle interior of the vehicle; and

a dashboard exclusively situated on a driver side of the front vehicle interior to provide a dashboard-free space on the passenger side of the front vehicle interior, the airbag unfolding in an inflated state from the dashboard-free space in a direction of the front vehicle occupant.