This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2018 208 941.8 filed on Jun. 6, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
This disclosure relates to a gas bag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle.
The gas bags (“far-side” gas bags) of such gas bag arrangements in particular serve to protect a vehicle occupant in a collision on the vehicle long side more remote from the vehicle occupant to be protected (i.e. in a “far-side crash”). For example, DE 10 2012 216 896 A1 discloses such a far-side gas bag. In the known far-side gas bags, however, a relative movement can occur between the vehicle occupant and the gas bag, whereby the restraining effect of the gas bag can be impaired and injuries of the vehicle occupant can be caused.
The problem underlying the proposed solution consists in coupling the vehicle occupant to the gas bag as early as possible and as completely as possible.
This problem is solved by the provision of the gas bag arrangement with features as described herein.
Accordingly, there is provided a gas bag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle, comprising
This course of the connecting element in particular provides for a stabilization and/or positioning of the inflated gas bag relative to the vehicle occupant to be protected such that a coupling of the vehicle occupant to the gas bag is effected as early as possible and thus a movement in particular of the upper body region of the vehicle occupant relative to the gas bag is counteracted. The connecting element in particular is a catch strap or a bracing veil. The connecting element may be formed from a woven fabric.
The connecting element can extend and be connected to the gas bag such that during the inflation of the gas bag the first chamber at least sectionally moves towards a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat and/or moves relative to the second chamber. In particular, the first chamber at least sectionally moves relative to the second chamber towards the vehicle occupant, whereby the above-mentioned coupling of the upper body region of the vehicle occupant, in particular of his head, to the gas bag can be realized as early as possible.
It is also conceivable that the connecting element extends and is connected to the gas bag such that the extension (height) of the gas bag in the vehicle height direction is reduced (as compared to the extension without connecting element). A bracing path assigned to the connecting element may be shortened. The reduction of the gas bag extension in the vehicle height direction may be obtained by the above-mentioned movement of the first chamber towards the vehicle occupant. It is also conceivable that during the inflation of the gas bag an at least partial curvature or rotation of the first chamber is effected in the direction of the vehicle occupant and hence the reduction of the height extension of the gas bag occurs.
According to another variant of the solution the partial section of the connecting element extends on a side of the first and/or the second chamber facing away from the vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat. It is conceivable that the connecting element extends and is connected to the first and/or the second chamber such that during the inflation of the gas bag a rotation or torsion at least of a portion of the first and/or the second chamber is obtained. The rotation or torsion may be effected about an axis following the direction of extension of the chamber.
It is also possible that the partial section of the connecting element extends on a side of the second chamber facing away from the vehicle occupant, wherein a further partial section of the connecting element extends on a side of the first chamber facing the vehicle occupant. A partial area of the connecting element between these two partial sections may be coupled with an area of the vehicle seat (in particular a frame of a backrest of the vehicle seat); in particular such that at the area of the vehicle seat a deflection of the connecting element is effected.
In the inflated condition of the gas bag the first chamber at least partly may extend above the second chamber (as seen in the vehicle height direction).
According to another development, the connecting element extends through between the first and the second chamber The connecting element coming from a connecting area of the vehicle seat may extend through between the first and the second chamber to the outside (i.e. to the side facing away from the vehicle occupant) of the first chamber (and may be connected there to the first chamber).
In addition, it is conceivable that in the inflated condition the first and/or the second chamber extend arcuately, wherein the two chambers can each be of tubular design and may be arranged one above the other as seen in the vehicle height direction. The first and/or the second chamber may extend semi-annularly (for example in the manner of half a donut), wherein a curvature of the first and/or the second chamber is oriented upwards as seen in the vehicle height direction. It is also conceivable that at least the second chamber is of annular design (for example in the manner of a whole donut).
By means of the connecting element a portion of the gas bag (e.g. of the first or second chamber) and a portion of the second chamber can also be connected to each other.
Furthermore, the first and the second chamber of the gas bag can be connected to each other at least in a front region (i.e. in a region pointing towards the vehicle front) of the gas bag; for example via a connecting seam. This connection between the two chambers in particular is configured such that in the inflated condition of the gas bag an overlap as good as possible or at least a spacing as small as possible is formed between the chambers. It is of course also possible that the two chambers are connected to each other not only in the front region of the gas bag, but at least one further connecting point exists in another (for example rear) region of the gas bag. However, there can also be provided a region of the gas bag in which the two chambers are not connected to each other, wherein in this region the connecting element may extend through between the chambers.
According to another embodiment the connecting element (configured e.g. in the form of a bracing veil) comprises a loop which in the folded condition of the gas bag surrounds a portion of the second chamber, wherein during the inflation of the second chamber the loop moves relative to the portion and acts on the same such that it at least partly rotates towards a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat.
In particular, during the inflation of the gas bag the loop slides along the second chamber and in doing so exerts a force (a torque) on the second chamber which generates the rotation of the second chamber towards the vehicle occupant.
Under the influence of the loop the second chamber may rotate about an axis oriented at least approximately parallel to a direction of movement of the loop, for example aligned at least approximately along the vehicle longitudinal direction.
It is also possible that in the fully inflated condition of the gas bag, i.e. at the end of its movement relative to the second chamber, the loop is disposed in a front partial section of the second chamber (and surrounds the second partial section). It is conceivable that slipping of the loop from the second chamber is counteracted in that the diameter of the second chamber increases towards the front side of the second chamber and forms at least one portion whose diameter is greater than the inside diameter of the loop.
The proposed solution also relates to a vehicle seat with the gas bag arrangement as described herein.
The connecting element may directly or indirectly coupled, e.g. fixed, to a portion of a frame of a backrest of the vehicle seat. The connecting element may be fixed to a holding element connected to the frame of the backrest of the vehicle seat, wherein the connecting element may be deflected at the holding element. It is conceivable here that the connecting element coming from the outside of the second chamber is deflected at the holding element in the direction of an inside of the first chamber so that as already mentioned above a first partial section of the connecting element extends on the outside of the second chamber and a second partial section extends on the inside of the first chamber.
The holding element in particular is positively connected to the frame of the vehicle seat and has at least one protrusion (finger) to which a portion of the connecting element is fixed (for example via an opening or loop).
The solution will be explained in detail below by means of embodiments with reference to the Figures.
The gas bag arrangement 10 according to the proposed solution as shown in
Due to its arc-shaped configuration (in the manner of half a donut), the torso chamber 12 has an upwardly pointing curvature and correspondingly delimits a semicircular opening 121 disposed below the curvature. The opening 121 in particular is placed such that during an impact of the vehicle occupant onto the gas bag 1 an arm portion and/or a shoulder of the vehicle occupant will at least partly move into the opening 121. In this way it can be prevented for example that the arm or the shoulder of the vehicle occupant pushes the gas bag 1 away and thus counteracts a coupling of the vehicle occupant to the gas bag 1. It is conceivable that in the inflated condition the head chamber 11 has a larger thickness (measured in the vehicle transverse direction) than the torso chamber 12. In addition, it is possible that the torso chamber 12 is of ring-shaped design and completely encloses the opening 121 (i.e. the torso chamber 12 has the shape of a whole donut). The head chamber 11 can also be connected to the thorax chamber 12 in a front region 110 of the gas bag 1 (for example via at least one seam). It is also conceivable that the torso chamber 12 does not form a closed ring, but a spacing exists between the end portions of the (annularly curved) torso chamber 12. For example, a front and/or rear end portion of the torso chamber 12 is fixed to a backrest 21 of the vehicle seat 2 via a catch strap in order to close the torso chamber 12.
The gas bag arrangement 10 furthermore comprises a connecting element in the form of a catch strap 3; cf.
After traversing the spacing 13, the catch strap 3 extends with a second partial section 32 on a side (outside) of the head chamber 11 facing away from the vehicle seat 2, wherein a portion of the catch strap 3 is connected to the head chamber 11 (for example via a seam 321). The second partial section 32 in particular extends and is connected to the head chamber 11 such that during the inflation of the gas bag 1 the head chamber 11 moves relative to the torso chamber 12 towards the vehicle occupant 4 sitting on the vehicle seat 2 (in particular towards the head of the vehicle occupant 4), cf.
For example, the chambers 11, 12 take such a position relative to each other that the gas bag 1 engages around a portion of the head and upper body region of the vehicle occupant 4 (for example in the manner of a baseball glove) and thus counteracts slipping of the vehicle occupant 4 from the gas bag 1.
By means of the catch strap 3 a positioning of the gas bag 1 is effected during the inflation such that the front region 122 in the torso chamber 12 and also a front region 111 of the head chamber 11 move in the direction of the vehicle occupant 4. In particular, both portions engage a head/shoulder region of the vehicle occupant 4, wherein after the inflation of the gas bag 1 at least the front region 111 of the head chamber 11 can be disposed for example in front of the shoulder region of the vehicle occupant 4 (the head chamber 11 hence does not only serve to protect the head of the vehicle occupant 4, but also to fix the shoulder of the vehicle occupant).
It is also noted that in addition to the catch strap shown in
According to the embodiment illustrated in
A modification of
It is noted that analogous to
For example, the catch strap 3 is attached to the holding element 6 by means of a fastening element (for example a rivet 312) (
Before the inflation of the gas bag 1 the loop 333 initially loosely surrounds the torso chamber 12, wherein at least a middle and/or front portion 125 of the torso chamber 12, for example the portion 122, is twisted towards the outside. During the deployment of the gas bag 1 the loop 333 moves along a direction of movement B across the twisted portion 125 of the torso chamber 12 and in doing so exerts a torque M on this portion 125 of the torso chamber 12, which rotates the same to the inside, i.e. towards the vehicle occupant, in order to effect an approach to the vehicle occupant; cf.
It is also conceivable that the loop 333 is connected to the gas bag 1 by means of a further connecting element 340 (for example in the form of a catch strap) in order to support the generation of the torque M. In particular, the connecting element 340 is connected to the front portion 122 of the torso chamber 12; cf.
In addition, it is noted that elements of the embodiments described above can of course also be used in combination with each other. For example the gas generator 5 shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2018 208 94108 | Jun 2018 | DE | national |