Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/DE10004483C2/en
Timestamp: 2020-02-21 10:20:55
Document Index: 212068971

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 32', 'arts 42', 'arts 76', 'art 76', 'art 78', 'art 78', 'arts 204']

DE10004483C2 - Airbag device for arrangement in the roof frame area of a motor vehicle - Google Patents
Airbag device for arrangement in the roof frame area of a motor vehicle
DE10004483C2
DE10004483C2 DE2000104483 DE10004483A DE10004483C2 DE 10004483 C2 DE10004483 C2 DE 10004483C2 DE 2000104483 DE2000104483 DE 2000104483 DE 10004483 A DE10004483 A DE 10004483A DE 10004483 C2 DE10004483 C2 DE 10004483C2
DE10004483A1 (en
The present invention relates to an airbag device for arrangement voltage in the roof frame area of a motor vehicle
DE 298 18 411 U1 describes an airbag module for arrangement in the roof Frame area of a motor vehicle known, namely according to the waiter Concept of claim 1. This module according to the prior art has a spacer sleeve that prevents the side walls of the u- shaped housing at least largely prevented. So the Vorrich device according to this prior art in the case of head inflation Airbags prevent the vehicle roof from cladding moved to a significant extent in the direction of the vehicle interior. By such a movement of the panel towards the vehicle would be available for a vehicle occupant Reduced space and thus increases the risk that the vehicle occupant in the In the event of an accident involving side impact forces with the head bumps into the trim parts pressed into the vehicle interior and injuries result. However, the spacer sleeve is not suitable net, give in under pressure or compression stress and energy absorber to act
DE 196 12 227 A1 discloses an arrangement in which an airbag runs along one Holmes or a pillar of a motor vehicle is arranged, the gas bag is held by a separate deformation element, which absorbs energy can have an effect.
JP 09-254736 discloses a head airbag arrangement for a motor vehicle, wherein the airbag and an energy absorbing element between a spar and the inner lining of the roof is housed.
Finally, JP 10-138861 discloses an airbag arrangement in which an airbag is inside a separate housing is arranged, however, this device no spacer on to spread the side walls of the housing to prevent when inflating the gas bag. An energy absorbing structure tur is provided around the housing with the folded gas bag, but is very extensive.
It is therefore the object of the present invention, a generic Air to further develop the bag arrangement in such a way that, if the head hits, fes of a vehicle occupant on the roof or side panels of the vehicle Can absorb energy, reducing the risk of such impact of the head leads to injuries to the vehicle occupant. Such scenarios are conceivable, for example, if a vehicle insas se is subjected to a lateral acceleration, which leads to it with the head hits the side or roof trim of a vehicle, the forces acting on the vehicle are not large enough to inflate the head airbag.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a generic airbag device with the characterizing features of claim 1. Preferred Exemplary embodiments result from the subclaims.
The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become the expert in the field of the present inventions reference when reading the following description with reference on the accompanying drawings, showing the following:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a device, the first embodiment of the present invention comprises;
Fig. 2 is an isometric view of part of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and
Figure 3 is an isometric view of part of an apparatus having a second embodiment of the present invention.
A device 10 having a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The device 10 includes a vehicle occupant protection device 12 (shown schematically) which is known as a side curtain. As shown in Fig. 1, the side curtain 12 is stored in a vehicle roof structure 14 near a door 16 on the side of the traveling truck. In accordance with the present invention, the side curtain 12 is an inflatable device stored in the roof structure 14 in a folded, uninflated state, as shown schematically in FIG. 1. When the side curtain 12 is inflated, it is unfolded and inserted from the roof structure 14 into the occupant compartment 17 . The Seitenvor hang 12 is then arranged between a vehicle occupant and the door 16 to help limit the movement of the occupant in an outward direction with respect to a window (not shown) in the door 16 under the influence of the vehicle collision forces.
As partially shown in FIG. 1, the roof structure 14 has stiff structural metal parts, including a roof panel 20 and a roof rail 22 . The roof rail 22 extends around the circumference of the roof panel 20 and has a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration. The roof structure 14 also has a headlining or roof lining 24 which extends over the occupant compartment 17 in order to cover the roof panel 20 and the roof rail 22 against one another.
The headliner 24 in the first exemplary embodiment of the invention has an outer layer 26 and a compressible deflectable base 28 . The outer layer 26 is preferably formed from a fabric. The base 28 is preferably formed from foam or elastomeric foam. The sky 24 also has a substrate layer 30 , which is preferably formed from plastic. A peripheral edge portion 32 of the sky 24 is defined by overlapping peripheral edge portions 34 and 36 of the outer layer 26 and the substrate layer 30 , respectively.
A shaped strip 38 is mounted on the roof rail 22 next to a seal 40 for the door 16 . The edge part 32 of the sky 24 is clamped between the shaped strip 38 and the roof rail 22 . Although the form strip 38 is connected to the roof rail 22 in the preferred embodiment of the invention by means of locking tab parts 42 of the form strip 38 , any other suitable fastening structures could be used as alternatives. In any event, the form strip 38 is attached to the roof rail 22 tightly enough so that the edge portion 32 of the headliner 24 remains firmly clamped between the form strip 38 and the roof rail 22 during normal vehicle operating conditions.
The side curtain 12 is contained in a plastic housing 50 . In the first embodiment of the present invention, the housing 50 is a trough-shaped structure that extends along the roof rail 22 above the door 16 . An inner side wall 52 of the housing 50 is arranged adjacent to the roof rail 22 . An opposite outer side wall 54 of the housing 50 is spaced from the roof rail 22 . The housing 50 is inclined so that the outer side wall 54 is generally located below the inner side wall 52 . The outside wall 54 is thus adjacent to the vehicle occupant compartment 17 . An insert opening 55 in the housing 50 is defined by and between lower edges 56 and 58 of the side walls 52 and 54 .
A conduit 60 extends into the side curtain 12 to connect a source of inflation fluid (not shown) to the side curtain 12 . The source of inflation fluid is actuated in a known manner when the vehicle experiences a collision condition that reaches or exceeds a specified threshold level. Inflation means is then passed into the side curtain 12 through a plurality of outlet openings 62 spaced along the line 60 .
When the inflation fluid begins to inflate the side curtain 12 , it moves the side curtain 12 down through the insert opening 55 and forcefully against the adjacent edge portion 32 of the sky 24 . The force of the inflation fluid pressure in the side curtain 12 pulls the edge portion 32 of the sky 24 outwardly from between the shape strip 38 and the roof rail 22nd When the inflation fluid inflates the side curtain 12 further, it moves the side curtain 12 further downward past the shaped strip 38 and into the occupant compartment 17 in the direction of the door 16 .
The housing 50 is fastened by the roof rail 22 by means of a plurality of fastening structures 70 , one of which is shown in FIG. 1. The mounting structures 70 are the same and spaced apart along the Ge housing 50 . Each attachment structure 70 has a fastener 72 and a bracket 74 .
As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, each bracket 74 of the first exemplary embodiment of the invention has first and second parts 76 and 78 . The first part 76 of the bracket 74 is a tubular structure with a cylindrical side wall 80 that is centered with respect to a longitudinal axis 81 . The tubular structure 76 has an annular retaining flange 82 and a pair of generally rectangular retaining tabs 84 . The holding flange 82 extends radially outward from a lower end 86 of the side wall 80 . The retaining tabs 84 extend radially outward from an upper end 88 of the side wall 80 , specifically at diametrically opposite locations.
As shown in Fig. 2, the tubular structure 76 in the first exemplary embodiment of the invention is a one-piece structure which is made from a single, homogeneous metal material. By "one piece" it is meant that the tubular structure 76 is a single unit without separate but connected elements. However, the tubular structure 76 could alternatively have separate but connected elements, and materials other than metal could be used.
A plurality of axially elongated slots 92 , two of which are shown in FIG. 2, extend through the side wall 80 of the tubular structure 76 . The slots 92 are between axially extending sections 94 from the side wall 80 are arranged. As more fully described below, portions 94 of side wall 80 are deflectable relative to one another under the influence of collision forces applied to clip 74 by an occupant of the vehicle. The second part 78 of the bracket 74 is a short, annular structure with a central opening 95 and is closely within the side wall 80 of the tubular structure 76 adjacent to the upper end 88 of the side wall 80 received . One or more welds 96 secure the second portion 78 to the sidewall 80 . The second part 78 is thus connected to the side wall 80 to serve as an end wall for the tubular structure 76 .
Each bracket 74 is received by the housing 50 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The upper end 88 of the side wall 80 is first received through a circular opening 100 in the outer side wall 54 of the housing 50 . The retaining tabs 84 are simultaneously received by a pair of diametrically opposed slots 102 which extend ra dial outwardly from the openings 100 . The side wall 80 of the tubular structure 76 is then moved through the opening 100 until the retaining flange 82 abuts the outer side wall 54 of the housing 50 radially outside the opening 100 and the slots 102 . When the retaining tabs 84 52 reach the inner side wall of the housing 50, they are similar (not shown) through a pair of slots taken up radially outwardly from a circular opening 104 in the wall of the inner sides 52 extend from. The bracket 74 is then rotated about the axis 81 ge to move the retaining tabs 84 circumferentially away from the slots in the inner side wall 52 .
When the bracket 74 has been received by the housing 50 in the previous manner, the housing 50 is placed against the roof rail 22 in the position of FIG. 1. The top ends 88 of the side walls 80 , such as the end walls 78 and the retaining tabs 84 , collide with the roof rail 22 . The fasteners 72 are then inserted through the tubular structures 76 . In particular, each fastener 72 is a metal screw with a head 110 adjacent to the end wall 78 within the corresponding tubular structure 76 . Each screw 72 also has a screw threaded shaft 112 that extends from head 110 through opening 95 in end wall 78 . The shaft 112 is screwed through a nut 114 which is welded to the roof rail 22 .
As previously described, the edge portion 32 of the sky 24 separates from the roof rail 22 under the influence of compressive forces developed by the inflation fluid that flows into the side curtain 12 from the conduit 60 . The inflation fluid pressure forces acting on the side curtain 12 similarly force the outer side wall 54 of the housing 50 to move away from the inner side wall 52 . However, the retaining flanges 82 on the lower ends of the tubular structures 76 engage the outer side wall 54 securely enough to restrict such movement of the outer side wall 54 . This allows the housing 50 to direct the inflating side curtain 12 for ei NEN from the housing 50 in a direction extending from the insert opening 55 toward the door 16 . The fastener structures 70 thus help the side curtain 12 to restrict the movement of a vehicle occupant out of the door 16 under the influence of vehicle collision forces.
Vehicle collision forces can also cause a vehicle occupant to move against the sky 24 adjacent to the roof rail 22 above the door 16 . For example, vehicle collision forces can cause an occupant's head to move against the sky 22 adjacent one of the tubular structures 76 . Such collision forces may be large enough to cause the occupant's head to compress the sky 24 until further movement of the occupant's head is resisted by the tubular structure 76 . Therefore, according to the present invention, the side wall 80 of each tubular structure 76 is weakened by slots 92 so that the portions 94 of the side wall 80 between the slots 92 are deflectable relative to one another under the influence of vehicle collision forces applied by a vehicle occupant. This allows the tubular structure 76 to axially collapse or collapse toward the roof rail 22 , thereby distributing the occupant's kinetic energy to protect the occupant.
A second embodiment of the present invention has alternative brackets 200 , one of which is shown in FIG. 3, instead of the brackets 74 in the first embodiment. Each bracket 200 is a one-piece tubular structure with a rectangular cross-sectional configuration. Each bracket 200 thus has four orthogonal sidewalls 202 . Each clamp 200 also has four slotted corner parts 204 . Like the bracket 74 described above, the bracket 200 is thus configured such that it collapses or collapses in the longitudinal direction when the side walls 202 are deflected relative to one another under the influence of vehicle collision created by the vehicle occupants.
A pair of rectangular retaining tabs 206 extend outwardly from a corresponding pair of opposing side walls 202 of the top of the bracket 200 . Tabs 206 that extend outwardly from the top of bracket 200 are configured to operate in substantially the same manner as tabs 84 ( FIG. 2) that extend outward from the top of bracket 74 extend. Another pair of opposing tabs 208 at the top of bracket 200 extend inwardly from respective side walls 202. These tabs 208 together define an end wall 210 with a central opening 212 for receiving a fastener such as fastener 72 .
The bracket 200 also has four rectangular retaining tabs 214 that extend outwardly from the four side walls 202 at the lower end of the bracket 200 . The retaining tabs 214 at the lower end of the bracket 200 are configured to operate in substantially the same manner as the retaining flange 82 at the lower end of the bracket 74 .
1. Airbag device for arrangement in the roof frame region ( 14 ) of a motor vehicle with a housing ( 50 ) which has side walls ( 52 , 54 ) and is U-shaped in cross section and in which a folded gas bag ( 12 ) is received, with a spacer element ( 74 , 200 ) is provided between the side walls ( 52 , 54 ), which prevents the side walls from spreading when the gas bag ( 12 ) is inflated, characterized in that the spacer element ( 74 , 200 ) is designed to be energy-consuming, essentially in the longitudinal direction extending slots ( 92 , 204 ) are provided.
2. Airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the dis dance element ( 74 ) has a round cross section.
3. Airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that the dis dance element ( 200 ) has a rectangular cross section.
DE10004483A1 DE10004483A1 (en) 2000-09-21
DE10004483C2 true DE10004483C2 (en) 2003-04-30
CA2326746A1 (en) * 1999-11-24 2001-05-24 Wolfgang K. Rohn Modular roof and headliner assembly
DE102006031102A1 (en) 2006-07-05 2008-01-17 GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit Side impact protection device for passengers in a motor vehicle
DE102008022427A1 (en) * 2008-05-07 2009-11-12 GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit Motor vehicle with A-pillar and in this stored airbag
JPH09254736A (en) * 1996-03-25 1997-09-30 Toyota Motor Corp Occupant protection device
JPH10138861A (en) * 1996-11-13 1998-05-26 Toyota Motor Corp Arrangement structure for occupant protection device for automobile
DE29818411U1 (en) * 1997-10-15 1999-02-04 Trw Repa Gmbh Airbag module
DE-Z.: Krafthand Heft 17, 12. Sept. 1998, S. 146 *
DE10004483A1 (en) 2000-09-21
JP3110709B2 (en) 2000-11-20 Head protection air bag device
EP0705738B1 (en) 2000-05-03 Vehicle with inflatable occupant restraint
US7523958B2 (en) 2009-04-28 Bracket for securing side airbag for automotive vehicle
DE69729178T3 (en) 2009-09-24 Arrangement and construction of a motor vehicle / insulated protection device
JP2954752B2 (en) 1999-09-27 Vehicle interior member having a hidden door for concealing an air bag restraint system
EP1048531B1 (en) 2006-07-05 Side collision protection device for vehicle passengers