Vehicle occupant restraint system for a vehicle sealing element

• US 8,556,290 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fischer, Anton
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US13/280,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 280/741, 280/728.2
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/262 Elongated tubular diffusers, e.g. curtain-type

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) for a vehicle comprising an inflator (14) and an airbag (12) connected to the inflator (14). The inflator (14) includes a mounting extension (42) which is provided for mounting the inflator (14) on a vehicle part (18) and projects through an orifice in the airbag (12). A sealing assembly (58) arranged at the mounting extension (42) is provided which clamps the airbag (12) against the inflator (14) and seals the orifice in the airbag (12). Furthermore, the invention relates to a sealing element (60) having a closed annular sealing body (68) including at least one lateral extension (64, 66) which extends in the central plane (E) of the sealing body (68).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) for a vehicle comprising

an inflator (14) and an airbag (12) connected to the inflator (14),

wherein the inflator (14) has a mounting extension (42) which is provided for mounting the inflator (14) on a vehicle part (18) and protrudes through an orifice in the airbag (12) and a sealing assembly (58) arranged at the mounting extension (42) is provided which clamps the airbag (12) against the inflator (14) and seals the orifice in the airbag (12), the sealing assembly (58) comprising a sealing element (60) and a flange part (62) that compresses the sealing element (60) so that the sealing element (60) conforms to the shape of a space between the flange part (62) and the airbag (12).

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, wherein a mounting assembly (38) is provided for mounting the vehicle occupant restraint system (10) on a vehicle part (18).

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, wherein a mounting extension (42) has a mounting base (46), wherein a flange part (62) is directly adjacent to the mounting base (46).

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element (60) is arranged between the inflator (14) and the flange part (62).

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the flange part (62) is adapted at least in portions to the outer contour of the inflator (14), and extends groove-shaped so as to partly surround the toroidal outer wall of the inflator (14).

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the airbag (12) is clamped between the sealing element (60) and the inflator (14).

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the sealing element (60) is adjacent to the mounting extension (42) of the inflator (14) at least by an integrally formed centering extension (64).

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 4, wherein the sealing element (60) has an extension (66) protruding laterally radially outwardly which protrudes laterally at least partly beyond the flange part (62).

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the mounting extension (42) of the inflator (14) is a stud bolt (48) and the sealing assembly (58) is forced in the direction against the outer wall of the inflator (14) by a nut (50) screwed onto the stud bolt (48).

10. A sealing element (60), in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) according to claim 1, comprising a closed annular sealing body (68) having at least one lateral extension (64, 66) extending in the central plane (E) of the sealing body (68).

11. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein the extension (64) extends in the direction of the center (M) of the sealing body (68) and is in the form of a centering extension.

12. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein the extension (66) extends radially outwardly related to the center (M) of the sealing body (68).

13. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein a diameter (d_K) of the sealing body (68) is a multiple of a thickness (d_F) of the at least one extension (64, 66).

14. The sealing element (60) according to claim 13, wherein the thickness (d_F) of the at least one extension (64, 66) is no more than 25% of the diameter (d_K) of the sealing body (68).

15. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein the sealing element (60) is made of a flexible elastic material.

16. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein the at least one extension (64, 66) is a closed circumferential lug in annular disc shape.

17. The sealing element (60) according to claim 10, wherein the sealing body (68) has a circular toroidal cross-section which is transformed, viewed in cross-section, via a radius (r) into the extension (64, 66).