Vehicle passenger restraint system with side airbags

Abstract

A vehicle passenger restraint system (10) includes a side airbag (12) mounted at a vehicle seat, wherein the side airbag (12) is a central airbag, and wherein the side airbag (12) has an inflatable head section (22) and an inflatable shoulder section (24) connected to the head section (22), the head section and the shoulder section forming an inflatable cavity of the side airbag (12). A tension band (40) is provided extending outside the inflatable cavity, the tension band connecting the side airbag (12) to the vehicle seat, and the tension band extends from a fastening position (42) at the side airbag (12) to a fastening position (44) at the vehicle seat.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle passenger restraint system with a side airbag, the side airbag being configured to be installed at the vehicle seat.

[0002] Airbags should be used to protect the upper body, and especially the head, of vehicle passengers as much as possible. Therefore, the goal is to protect these body parts as safely as possible using airbags.

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to improve the positioning of a side airbag designed as a center airbag after inflation and the stability of the side airbag in the desired position.

[0004] This objective is achieved by a vehicle passenger restraint system according to the invention. The vehicle passenger restraint system has a side airbag mounted at a vehicle seat, wherein the side airbag is a center airbag, wherein the side airbag has an inflatable head section and an inflatable shoulder section connected to the head section, the head section and the shoulder section forming an inflatable cavity of the airbag. A tension band extending outside the inflatable cavity connects the side airbag to the vehicle seat and extends from a secured position at the side airbag to a secured position at the vehicle seat. The tension band stabilizes the position of the side airbag in its inflated state and also increases its lateral stiffness, thereby improving the restraint effect during lateral displacement of the vehicle passenger.

[0005] Lateral stiffness can be improved by using the lateral airbags of the vehicle passenger restraint system according to the invention, and the lateral airbags do not need to be supported on a large support surface as in conventional door-facing lateral airbags. In such conventional door-facing lateral airbags, stability in the desired position is achieved, in the inflated state, particularly by being supported at the door or vehicle structure.

[0006] Even when the side airbag is inflated, the tension strap remains connected to the airbag and vehicle seat at these two securing points and remains intact when the vehicle occupants are encased in the side airbag. For this purpose, the tension strap should ideally have a small amount of elasticity and high tear resistance.

[0007] Preferably, in the inflated state of the side airbag, the head section is bent relative to the shoulder section, which achieves an early restraint effect on the head and shoulder areas of the vehicle occupants. Advantageously, the side airbag occupies this bent position before the vehicle occupants come into contact with it.

[0008] Attached to the tension band, the side airbag preferably has a non-inflatable tensioning element that extends from the head section to the shoulder section. This tensioning element extends outside all inflatable cavities of the side airbag on the passenger side, which faces the vehicle occupant in the inflated state. The tension band is positioned between the outer surface of the inflatable cavities and the side of the tensioning element facing the inflatable cavities. The tensioning element covers the transition from the head section to the shoulder section and can form a uniformly tensioned catch surface for the vehicle occupant.

[0009] Tensioning elements, for example, can cover the non-inflatable area of ​​a side airbag, which forms a narrowing between the head and shoulder areas. In areas where vehicle occupants would typically come into contact with the side airbag, the tensioning element partially covers the tensioning band, thereby preventing potential contact between the occupants and the tensioning band.

[0010] Tensioning bands are not typically fixedly connected to the tensioning element.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the tensioning element is tensioned in the inflated state of the side airbag, such that the tensioning element causes the head section to bend relative to the shoulder section. Preferably, by pulling the tensioning element, the side airbag bends to a desired position, thereby positioning the head section close to the head of the vehicle occupant.

[0012] The tensioning element can be made of, for example, airbag fabric. The triangular shape of the tensioning element has proven advantageous, wherein one side of the triangle is fastened at the head section and one corner of the triangle is fastened at the shoulder section.

[0013] To secure the tensioning element to the head section, a circumferential seam of the head section can be used, which is located at the upper end of the head section when the side airbag is inflated. Preferably, the fastening is performed along the greater length of the circumferential seam.

[0014] The tensioning element is preferably fastened at the opposite angle to a section of the side airbag wall (which is designated for the non-inflatable area of ​​the side airbag), such as a crease in the shoulder section. This prevents the tension acting on the tensioning element from affecting the airtightness of the side airbag.

[0015] The advantageous arrangement of the restraint position on the airbag side of the tensioner belt is determined when, in an inflated side airbag, the restraint position is located in the shoulder area of ​​a passenger sitting in the vehicle seat (referencing 95% of dummies).

[0016] In the inflated state of the side airbag, the tension strap is preferably laid out generally horizontally so that the force acting on the side airbag away from the vehicle seat can be absorbed without the tension strap shifting.

[0017] To securely fasten the tension strap, the fastening point on the vehicle seat side can be selected at the rigid seat frame of the vehicle seat, especially in the upper area of ​​the seat frame.

[0018] Preferably, the fastening position of the tension strap on the vehicle seat side is located away from the module receiver on the vehicle seat, and the side airbag is folded and housed within the module receiver before inflation. In this way, the side airbag can be securely connected to the vehicle seat at two locations far apart from each other, which further improves stability.

[0019] The tension band can be positioned along the seat back of the vehicle seat and below the trim layer when the side airbag is not inflated. Therefore, before the side airbag inflates, the tension band can be guided, for example, in a manner invisible to the vehicle occupants, below the seat cover. When the vehicle occupant restraint system is activated and the side airbag is inflated, the tension band detaches from the trim layer and extends between the side airbag and the vehicle seat once the side airbag is fully inflated.

[0020] The tightening point of the airbag side of the tension strap is preferably located below the head section.

[0021] Advantageously, the fastening position on the airbag side is located in the non-inflatable area of ​​the side airbag so as not to affect the airtightness of the side airbag. Preferably, the fastening position on the airbag side is selected such that no tension is exerted on the head section by the tension band, which could cause the head section to roll over.

[0022] An advantageous location for the airbag-side fastening is at the transition from the head section to the shoulder section. This is because it does not affect the desired bending of the head section, while effectively preventing an increase in the distance between the side airbag and the seat back when in contact with the vehicle occupants. In this case, the airbag-side fastening is located in the zigzag area between the head section and the shoulder section.

[0023] As described above, this folded area preferably constitutes the non-inflatable area of ​​the side airbag. This non-inflatable area can be designed as an ellipse, with the head section curving around it. Therefore, the bending of the head section relative to the shoulder section can be achieved in a simple manner.

[0024] This side airbag is a center airbag, meaning that when there are two vehicle seats arranged side by side in a vehicle, the side airbag is positioned between the two seats when inflated.

[0025] Side airbags can be installed, in particular, on the side of the driver's seat facing the passenger seat and / or on the side of the passenger seat facing the driver's seat, especially on the side panel of the seat frame of the driver's seat and / or the passenger seat.

[0026] Side airbags, designed as center airbags, can particularly improve the restraint of vehicle occupants in far-side impacts through the vehicle's passenger restraint system. The tension straps stabilize the positioning of the side airbags, designed as center airbags, especially in the upright position and their relative position to the seat back. This, for example, can prevent or at least limit the wegpendeln of the side airbags when enveloping the vehicle occupants.

[0027] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and within the scope of the embodiments.

[0028] The only illustration is a schematic diagram of a vehicle passenger restraint system according to the invention, showing a lateral airbag in its inflated state and in its final position.

[0029] The vehicle passenger restraint system 10 shown includes a side airbag 12, which is positioned on the seat back 14 of a vehicle seat (not shown in detail) in the vehicle.

[0030] In the example shown here, the vehicle seat is a driver's seat, and the side airbag 12 is arranged on the side panel of the seat back 14, which faces the front passenger seat located next to the driver's seat.

[0031] The seat back 14 has an internal, rigid, load-bearing seat frame 16 covered with a decorative layer 18 (e.g., a seat cover) on the outside.

[0032] Before activating the vehicle passenger restraint system 10, the side airbag 12 is folded into a package and placed in the module receiver 20 indicated in the figure, which is located at approximately half the height of the seat back 14 of the vehicle seat.

[0033] When the vehicle passenger restraint system 10 is activated, the side airbag 12 deploys upward from the module receiver 20 and occupies the position shown in the figure.

[0034] The side airbag 12 has an inflatable head section 22 and an inflatable shoulder section 24 located below the inflatable head section along the vehicle height direction V, wherein the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24 constitute an inflatable cavity of the side airbag 12.

[0035] In this example, the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24 are the only two inflatable cavities of the side airbag 12.

[0036] The cavity of the head section 22 transitions to the cavity of the shoulder section 24, such that these cavities are interconnected in a flow sense and can be filled by the same gas generator (not shown).

[0037] When the side airbag 12 is installed and inflated, the head section 22 forms the upper end of the side airbag 12.

[0038] The non-inflatable area 26 is located between the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24. This non-inflatable area has, for example, an elliptical shape and can extend over approximately 30% to 70% of the width of the side airbag 12 relative to the lateral direction of the vehicle.

[0039] This non-inflatable area 26 forms a zigzag position where, in the inflated state of the side airbag 12, the head section 22 bends relative to the shoulder section 24, as shown in the figure. This bend tilts the head section 22 toward the head 28 of the vehicle occupant 30, thereby enabling early head capture.

[0040] The head section 22 and the shoulder section 24 are also interconnected by a tensioning element 32, which in the example shown extends from the upper peripheral edge 34 of the head section 22 to an additional, unshown, non-inflatable area 36 in the shoulder section 24.

[0041] Tensioning element 32 is located outside all inflatable cavities of side airbag 12, on the side of side airbag 12 and on the passenger side 38 of side airbag 12, which points towards vehicle passenger 30 when side airbag 12 is inflated.

[0042] In the example shown here, the tensioning element 32 is made of an approximately triangular airbag fabric and is itself non-inflatable. One side of the triangle is fixed along the upper peripheral edge 34 of the head section 22, while the opposite angle of the triangle is fastened, for example, to a fold in the plane of the shoulder section 24.

[0043] The length of the tensioning element 32 between its two fastening points at the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24 is chosen to be short enough that the side airbag 12, when inflated, adopts the aforementioned bent shape, wherein the tensioning element 32 extends partially at a smaller interval relative to the passenger side 38 of the side airbag 12 within the non-inflatable area 26. In principle, the tensioning element 32 remains fixed at the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24 throughout the restraint process.

[0044] The side airbag 12 is connected to the seat back 14 by a tension band 40 extending from a fastening position 42 on the airbag side to a fastening position 44 on the vehicle seat side, outside the inflatable cavity. The tension band 40 is made of, for example, airbag fabric and is therefore generally tear-resistant and non-elastic. In principle, the tension band 40 remains connected to both the side airbag 12 and the seat back 14 even when the passenger 30 is in contact with the side airbag 12.

[0045] In this example, the fastening position 44 on the vehicle seat side is located at the upper end of the seat frame 16 on the side panel of the seat back 14 facing the side airbag 12.

[0046] Here, the airbag-side fastening position 42 is located in the non-inflatable area 26 between the head section 22 and the shoulder section 24, i.e., below the head section 22. As shown in the figure, in the inflated side airbag 12, the tension strap 40 runs generally horizontally, with the vehicle-side fastening position approximately at the shoulder height of the vehicle passenger 30.

[0047] The tension band 40 is partially covered by the tensioning element 32, that is, it extends between the passenger side 38 of the side airbag 12 and the side of the tensioning element 32 facing the side airbag 12, but does not act on the tensioning element 32. The tension band 40 is not directly and fixedly connected to the tensioning element 32 here.

[0048] The tension strap 40 applies a force to the side airbag 12, which holds the side airbag 12 in its upright position and its relative position to the seat back 14 and stabilizes the side airbag 12 when the vehicle occupant 30 is encased in it.

[0049] The fastening position 42 on the airbag side is selected such that the tensioner 40 does not exert a bending force on the head section 22, but rather prevents the gap between the side airbag 12 and the seat back 14 from increasing.

[0050] When the vehicle passenger restraint system 10 is not activated, the tension strap 40 extends along the seat frame 16 below the trim layer 18 to the module receiver 20. When the side airbag 12 deploys, the tension strap 40 partially leaves the trim layer 18 and moves freely through the space from the seat back 14 to the side airbag 12.

Claims

1. A vehicle passenger restraint system (10) having a side airbag (12) installed at a vehicle seat, wherein the side airbag (12) is a center airbag, wherein the side airbag (12) has an inflatable head section (22) and an inflatable shoulder section (24) connected to the head section (22), the head section and the shoulder section forming an inflatable cavity of the side airbag (12), wherein a tension band (40) is provided extending outward from the inflatable cavity, the tension band connecting the side airbag (12) to the vehicle seat, and the tension band extending from a fastening position (42) at the side airbag (12) to a fastening position (44) at the vehicle seat, wherein... In the inflated state of the side airbag (12), the head section (22) is bent relative to the shoulder section (24) and a non-inflatable tensioning element (32) is provided therein, the non-inflatable tensioning element extending from the head section (22) to the shoulder section (24), wherein the tensioning element (32) extends outside all inflatable cavities of the side airbag (32) on the passenger side (38) of the side airbag (12). The side airbag (12) is inflated and points toward the vehicle passenger (30) sitting in the vehicle seat, and the tensioning band (40) is arranged between the outer side of the inflatable cavity and the side of the tensioning element (32) facing the inflatable cavity, and the tensioning element (32) is tensioned in the inflated state of the side airbag (12) such that the tensioning element (32) enables the head section (22) to bend relative to the shoulder section (24).

2. The vehicle passenger restraint system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fastening position (44) of the tensioning strap (40) at the vehicle seat is located in the upper region of the seat frame (16) of the vehicle seat.

3. The vehicle passenger restraint system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The fastening position (44) of the tensioning strap (40) on the vehicle seat side is located away from the module receiving part (20) at the vehicle seat, and the side airbag (12) is folded into a package and received in the module receiving part before the side airbag (12) is inflated.

4. The vehicle passenger restraint system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The tension strap (40) is arranged along the seat back (14) of the vehicle seat below the trim layer (18) when the side airbag (12) is not inflated.

5. The vehicle passenger restraint system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The fastening position (42) of the tensioning strap (40) on the airbag side is located in the non-inflatable area (26) of the side airbag (12).

6. The vehicle passenger restraint system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The fastening position (42) on the airbag side is located in the tortuous area between the head section (22) and the shoulder section (24).

7. The vehicle passenger restraint system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The vehicle is provided with two vehicle seats arranged side by side, and the side airbag (12) is located between the two vehicle seats when inflated.

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