Vehicle occupant protection system with airbag

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system (10) having an airbag (12), which is arranged on a floor (30) of a vehicle in a folded manner in front of an associated vehicle seat (16) prior to activation of the vehicle occupant protection system (10) and is deployed in the case of restraint from the floor (30) in front of the vehicle seat (16), the airbag (12) has a plurality of tubular inflatable chambers (18) which are in fluid communication with one another and which are connected to one another in three dimensions in the inflated state, the plurality of chambers (18) forming a support bar (24) of the airbag (12) and at least one chamber (18) forming a restraining chamber (22) in the upper region of the airbag (18).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system with a safety airbag. Background Art

[0002] In existing vehicle interior space designs, the vehicle occupants have very limited freedom of movement for their legs. Although this has an adverse effect on the comfort of the vehicle occupants, it has the advantage that in restrained situations, the legs of the vehicle occupants are essentially restrained by components fixed to the vehicle, such as the dashboard, the instrument panel or the vehicle seats arranged in front of them. In order to improve the protection of the legs, special knee airbags are also known, which are deployed from corresponding vehicle fixed structures in the direction of the legs of the vehicle occupants.

[0003] In new design concepts, especially those related to automated driving, vehicle occupants should be able to choose their sitting position in the vehicle interior more freely. In this case, there may also be a large degree of freedom of movement for the legs. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to improve the protection of the legs of a vehicle occupant and the kinematics of the vehicle occupant, in particular the kinematics of the legs of the vehicle occupant, even in such a sitting position.

[0005] This is achieved by a vehicle occupant protection system for protecting the legs of a vehicle occupant, with an airbag, which is arranged folded on the floor of the vehicle in front of an associated vehicle seat before the vehicle occupant protection system is activated, and which deploys from the floor in front of the vehicle seat in the case of restraint. The airbag comprises a plurality of tubular inflatable chambers that are fluidically connected to one another and are three-dimensionally connected to one another in the inflated state, wherein a plurality of the chambers form a support rod for the airbag and at least one of the chambers forms a restraining chamber in the upper region of the airbag.

[0006] In a restrained situation, the airbag can also prevent the vehicle occupant's legs from swinging excessively on the vehicle seat when the matching vehicle seat offers a large degree of freedom of leg movement forward.

[0007] It is also conceivable that the airbag is arranged in the region of the vehicle fixed structure. In this case, the airbag acts as a knee airbag under restraint conditions and protects the legs of the vehicle occupant from contacting the vehicle fixed structure.

[0008] The support rods ensure that the airbag assumes its desired three-dimensional shape and stabilizes it in this shape. In this way, an airbag can be realized which encloses a very large volume overall but requires relatively little filling gas due to its structure consisting of an inflatable tubular chamber. In this way, the airbag does not require any additional support surfaces on fixed vehicle components, apart from the vehicle floor. By varying the arrangement of the support rods, the airbag can be designed without great effort so that the restraint chamber can assume the desired position for the respective vehicle and the respective restraint situation to be considered.

[0009] The internal pressure of the tubular chamber can be selected to be higher than in conventional airbags in order to improve the stabilizing effect. Due to the lower overall volume, no or only a small amount of filling gas is required for this purpose compared to conventional knee airbags. The airbag itself is sufficiently flexible in order to be able to catch the legs of a vehicle occupant in particular, since the tubular chamber deforms to a certain extent substantially perpendicularly to its longitudinal extension when loaded.

[0010] The support rods are preferably connected to form a three-dimensional frame. The restraining chamber in this case in particular forms an upper crossbeam of the frame, for example (in a fully inflated airbag) the crossbeam which is arranged highest with respect to the vertical direction.

[0011] The surfaces between the individual tubular chambers are preferably open, so that the airbag consists exclusively of tubular inflatable chambers.

[0012] The airbag may have only one or more specific restraint chambers, for example, which have a diameter transverse to their longitudinal extension that is larger than the diameter of the support rod and are therefore usually larger in size, in order to more extensively catch or better support the legs of the vehicle occupant. The diameter mentioned here is considered in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the tubular chamber.

[0013] Of course, each portion of the airbag and each tubular chamber (ie, support rod) will produce a restraining effect when a vehicle occupant comes into contact with each portion of the airbag and each of the tubular chambers (ie, support rods).

[0014] In the fully inflated state of the airbag, the restraint chamber is preferably arranged directly in front of the shin area or knee area of ​​the vehicle occupant. In another embodiment, in the fully inflated state of the airbag, the restraint chamber can be arranged in front of the pelvic area of ​​the vehicle occupant. By selecting the length and orientation of the support rods, the shape of the airbag can be easily adapted to the respectively required task. In the airbag according to the invention for protecting the legs of a vehicle occupant, it is not provided that the restraint chamber is arranged above the pelvic area of ​​the vehicle occupant (with respect to the dimensions of the 50% or 95% dummy).

[0015] One of the support bars close to the floor can be designed to catch the heel of a vehicle occupant in the area of ​​the vehicle floor and thus prevent forward movement.

[0016] For example, the support rod is designed and arranged so that when the airbag is inflated, there is space for the legs of the vehicle occupant in the area below the restraint chamber, so that the airbag has a free space in the middle below the restraint chamber, in which the legs can swing upward and be blocked by the bottom side of the restraint chamber, thereby preventing the legs from swinging excessively.

[0017] In the fully inflated state, the airbag can have the shape of a wedge-shaped frame with at least two support rods extending obliquely downward away from the vehicle seat, which support the airbag on the floor. These obliquely extending support rods form a supporting triangle at the two longitudinal ends of the restraining chamber, for example with further support rods extending vertically and horizontally. The lower ends of the oblique support rods can be connected to a rear crossbeam extending along the floor. In addition, further support rods can be provided to further stabilize the shape. In general, the purpose is to form the airbag as a frame that is inherently stable in shape.

[0018] In order to fix the airbag to the floor, suitable retaining devices, such as textile straps, which can already be formed on the blank of the airbag, can be arranged, for example, at least at the lower ends of the vertical support rods and / or the inclined support rods. These retaining devices are connected to the vehicle fixed support structure on the vehicle floor, for example by hooking or screwing.

[0019] Preferably, all tubular chambers, ie support rods and constraining chambers, are in fluid communication with each other.

[0020] The vehicle occupant protection system preferably includes at least one gas generator which supplies filling gas for the airbag and which is fastened to the vehicle floor.

[0021] For example, the gas generator can be in fluid communication with one of the support rods close to the floor, preferably with the support rod furthest back as viewed from the vehicle seat, for example via an air inlet in the middle of the longitudinal extension of the support rod. In order to achieve the fastest possible inflation of the airbag, two gas generators can be provided. These gas generators are then arranged, for example, in the region of the two longitudinal ends of the rearmost support rod.

[0022] Fluid communication can be achieved by the gas generator being directly connected to the support rod, or by a gas supply line which is flexible as necessary and which leads to the airbag and is in fluid communication with the support rod. The latter situation provides the option of installing the gas generator at a position away from the airbag.

[0023] The total volume of the airbag may be approximately 30 liters, for example.

[0024] In the unactivated state, the gas generator and / or the folded airbag are accommodated, for example, in a receptacle in the vehicle floor so that they are not noticeable to the vehicle occupants in the vehicle interior. For example, a complete airbag module comprising the airbag and one or more gas generators can be accommodated in the floor. In order to conceal the airbag module before activation, it can be mounted, for example, on a rotatable plate which is arranged above the receptacle so that the airbag module sinks into the floor before activation and pivots upwards in the restrained state, whereupon the filling gas flows into the airbag.

[0025] For additional stabilization, the airbag can be fastened by at least one restraining strap. It can also be fastened between individual support rods.

[0026] The limiting strap is, for example, an integral part of the airbag blank.

[0027] It is also conceivable to replace the inclined support bars with limiting straps which extend obliquely from the longitudinal ends of the restraint chamber to the vehicle floor.

[0028] If the airbag has an elongated blank, which can be folded multiple times in its longitudinal direction while forming a folding line extending transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), wherein the flat stacked sections of the blank are connected to each other so as to form a tubular chamber, the manufacture of the airbag can be simplified. In this case, the tubular chamber is not sewn from individual fabric tubes, but is formed by sewing (or otherwise connecting) two flat stacked blank sections between the blank sections. Alternatively, such an airbag can be manufactured by an integral weaving process (One Piece Woven). The gaps between the support rods in the inflated airbag can be realized by cuts or notches in the blank. It is conceivable that the entire blank is designed as one piece, but it is also possible to design the front side of the restraining chamber and the vertical support rods as the second blank section, for example.

[0029] Suitably arranged non-inflatable regions in the blank, preferably at the folding lines, simply define the angles between the individual support struts in the finished airbag by means of additional seams.

[0030] The fluid communication between the various tubular chambers can also be determined by the direction of the sutures.

[0031] Depending on the position, the seams can be designed, for example, as curved or folded seams in order to achieve a desired shape of the inflated airbag.

[0032] In order to reduce the load on the seams due to the inflowing filling gas, a gas guide layer or a reinforcing layer can be arranged in the corresponding area inside the airbag. If two gas generators or two gas inlets are provided, a folded gas guide layer can extend over the entire width of the airbag inside the support rod for the gas inlet.

[0033] In another embodiment, there is an additional restraint chamber which, in the fully inflated state of the airbag, is arranged parallel to the restraint chamber and immediately adjacent to the restraint chamber between the restraint chamber and the vehicle floor. The additional restraint chamber is preferably in the same plane as the restraint chamber and the vertical support rods adjoining it laterally to the restraint chamber. The additional restraint chamber helps to reliably catch the legs of the vehicle occupant and prevent overextension.

[0034] In particular, at least one overflow opening is arranged between the confinement chamber and the additional confinement chamber, through which the filling gas flows from the confinement chamber into the additional confinement chamber. The additional confinement chamber is preferably filled only by fluid communication with the confinement chamber, so that the filling gas always enters the additional confinement chamber through the confinement chamber. Therefore, the additional confinement chamber is also deployed substantially only after the confinement chamber has at least started to be filled.

[0035] The inner volumes of the restraining chamber and the additional restraining chamber are preferably separated from each other by a partition, in which the at least one overflow opening is formed. The partition advantageously extends over the entire length of the additional restraining chamber in the transverse direction of the vehicle. For example, a plurality of overflow openings are arranged along the connecting line so that the additional restraining chamber can be filled quickly and evenly over its entire length.

[0036] The blank of the additional restraining chamber is preferably a part of the elongated blank of the air-bag, so that the additional restraining chamber can be simply manufactured together with the other inflatable chambers of the air-bag.

[0037] In order to quickly and reliably position the additional restraint chamber in the desired position and stabilize it if necessary, the additional restraint chamber can be supported on the support rods, for example, by lateral fabric sections. These fabric sections are preferably non-inflatable. However, care should be taken here that these fabric sections do not exert appreciable forces on the support rods, so that the three-dimensional shape of the airbag is affected as little as possible by the additional restraint chamber.

[0038] As an alternative or in addition to the fabric sections, limiting straps can be provided which extend between the side edges of the additional restraining chamber and the respectively adjacent vertical support rods and position and, if necessary, stabilize the additional restraining chamber. However, it should also be noted here that the position and length of the limiting straps are selected so that substantially no lateral tensile forces are transmitted to the vertical support rods.

[0039] Preferably, the additional restraining chamber is folded up, in particular rolled up, in a roll-up package separate from the restraining chamber before it is filled, so that it is subsequently unfolded and filled later than the restraining chamber. Preferably, the additional restraining chamber is unfolded only after the rest of the airbag has unfolded and assumed its three-dimensional shape. This ensures that the additional restraining chamber does not hinder the unfolding and filling of the support rod. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The present invention will be described in more detail below through a number of embodiments. Shown in the accompanying drawings:

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag of a vehicle occupant protection system of the present invention according to a first embodiment;

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag of a vehicle occupant protection system of the present invention according to a second embodiment;

[0043] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a vehicle occupant protection system in a restrained condition;

[0044] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 a flat unfolded blank of an airbag;

[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag of a vehicle occupant protection system of the present invention according to a third embodiment;

[0046] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 a flat unfolded blank of an airbag;

[0047] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle occupant protection system of the present invention according to a fourth embodiment;

[0048] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A schematic side view of an airbag;

[0049] Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 A schematic detail view of a restraint chamber and an additional restraint chamber of an airbag; and

[0050] Fig.10 is Figure 7 Schematic diagram of an overflow opening between a restraint chamber and an additional restraint chamber of an airbag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Identical, similar or identically functioning components in all embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals (or by a numeral increment of 100). For the sake of clarity, not all identical components are always provided with reference numerals.

[0052] Figure 1 A vehicle occupant protection system 10 according to a first embodiment is shown having an airbag 12 in a fully inflated state, which is designed to protect the legs of a vehicle occupant 14 sitting on a vehicle seat 16 (see FIG. Figure 3 ).

[0053] The airbag 12 includes a plurality of tubular chambers 18 that are in fluid communication with one another and that together form a three-dimensional wedge-shaped frame 20 .

[0054] The gaps between the tubular chambers 18 are open. In this embodiment, the airbag 12 is constituted by the tubular chambers 18 only.

[0055] One of the tubular chambers 18 is designed as a restraining chamber 22 and has in this example a larger diameter d1 than the diameter d of the remaining tubular chambers 18. The restraining chamber 22 is arranged here in the upper region of the airbag 12 on the uppermost (with respect to the vertical direction V) and rearmost (with respect to the longitudinal direction L away from the vehicle seat 16) tubular chamber 18 and extends in a transverse direction Q of the vehicle seat 16 perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction L and the vertical direction V.

[0056] The airbag 12 is oriented such that the restraint chamber 22 is located on the side of the airbag 12 that faces the vehicle seat 16 .

[0057] The remaining tubular chambers 18 form support rods 24 which ensure the dimensional stability of the airbag 12. The frame 20 is designed such that the airbag 12 itself is dimensionally stable in the inflated state.

[0058] In this example, two obliquely extending support rods 26 are provided, which extend from a longitudinal end 28 of the restraint chamber 22 and to a floor 30 of the vehicle.

[0059] Two vertical support rods 32 are also arranged at the longitudinal ends 28 of the restraining chamber 22, which also extend to the floor 30. The opposite ends of the obliquely extending support rods 26 and the vertical support rods 32 are connected to each other by support rods 34 close to the floor. The support rods 34 close to the floor form a quadrilateral, which rests on the floor 30. In addition, further support rods 24 are arranged between the two vertical support rods 32, between the support rods 34 close to the floor and the uppermost crossbeam connected to the restraining chamber 22.

[0060] In this example, the confinement chamber 22 projects a distance in the longitudinal direction L beyond the vertical support rod 32 .

[0061] The airbag 12 is in fluid communication with a gas generator 38, which provides filling gas to the airbag 12. The total filling volume of the airbag 12 may be approximately 30 liters, for example.

[0062] In the inactive state, the airbag 12 and the gas generator 38 are arranged on the floor 30 of the vehicle. For example, they are concealed in a receptacle (not shown) in the floor, which accommodates an airbag module in which the gas generator 38 and the folded airbag 12 are located.

[0063] The airbag 12 is fastened to the floor 30 , for example, by means of retaining devices 40 at the ends of the inclined support rods 26 and the vertical support rods 32 that are close to the floor, which retaining devices are connected to corresponding retaining structures (not shown) on the floor 30 .

[0064] Figure 2 A second embodiment of the airbag 12 is shown. Here, in contrast to the first embodiment, the restraint chamber 22 is arranged above two vertical support rods 32 and aligned with them in the vertical direction V, while the middle support rod 24 is omitted. The two vertical support rods 32 and the restraint chamber 22 thus form the form of a door which is delimited at the rear by two obliquely extending support rods 26.

[0065] Furthermore, two support rods 34 extending in the longitudinal direction L close to the floor are connected to one another via a non-inflatable limiting belt 41 .

[0066] In this embodiment, two gas generators 38 are used, which are arranged here in the region of the support rod 34 close to the floor, in particular in the region of the rearmost longitudinal end of the support rod 34 close to the floor.

[0067] Figure 3 The orientation of the air bag 12 relative to the vehicle occupant 14 in the restrained condition is shown. An angled support rod 26 extends away from the vehicle seat 16 to a floor 30 and supports the air bag 12 on the floor 30 .

[0068] When a restraint situation occurs, the gas generator 38 is activated and the airbag 12 is inflated. The airbag 12 is deployed from its accommodation in the floor 30 in an arc toward the vehicle occupant 14 on the vehicle seat 16, so that the restraint chamber 22 passes over the legs of the vehicle occupant 14 from above. Figure 3 As shown, the restraint chamber 22 catches the legs of the vehicle occupant 14 as they swing upward.

[0069] The support rod 34 arranged near the floor below the confinement chamber 22 may also be arranged according to Figure 1 The support rod 24 arranged above the airbag is designed, for example, to catch the heels of the vehicle occupant 14 when necessary and to prevent the legs from moving. Figure 3 The movement shown inhibits forward movement of the vehicle occupant 14 .

[0070] Alternatively, airbag 12 may be arranged in the region of a fixed structure of the vehicle and serve, for example, as a knee airbag.

[0071] Figure 4 Shows Figure 2 The blank 42, 44 of the airbag 12. Apart from the restraining chamber 22 and the front side 44 of the vertical support rod 32, the blank 42 is composed of a single piece of suitable airbag fabric.

[0072] The blank 42 is elongated and folded multiple times along the subsequent longitudinal direction L to form the airbag 12. The folded sections are partially sewn to each other along the longitudinal direction L to form the respective tubular chambers 18. These seams are formed at the Figure 2 In this way, overflow openings between the individual tubular chambers 18 are also achieved.

[0073] For example, Figure 4 The end 46 on the right side of the center, which forms the restraint chamber 22 in the finished airbag, is folded along fold line I and connected to line II at the left end 48. The rest of the blank is folded again along fold lines III and IV, thereby forming an obliquely extending support rod 26 and is sewn to the end 46 in the region of fold line III.

[0074] The separate front side 44 is sewn to the ends 48 , 46 to complete the vertical support rod 32 and the restraining chamber 22 .

[0075] In the region of the folding lines III, IV, suitable pleats 50 are formed by corresponding stitching lines, which define the angles between the individual tubular chambers 18 or support rods 24 and give the inflated airbag 12 the desired wedge shape (see FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 5 ).

[0076] The limiting band 41 is formed by a section of the blank 42 which is not covered by other matching blank sections.

[0077] Figure 5 and Figure 6 A third embodiment of an airbag 12 and its blank 42 is shown. The main difference from the second embodiment is that the obliquely extending support rods are formed by non-inflatable limiting straps 41 .

[0078] Figure 6 Shown Figure 5 The blank 42 of the airbag 12 is made of only a single piece of fabric. As in the previous embodiments, the sections of the blank 42 are formed into the desired shape in a suitable manner by folding around suitable folding lines I, II, III, IV perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and sewing the individual blank sections to each other, thereby also forming the tubular chamber 18. The limiting band 41 is integrally formed with the blank 42 and is already connected to the blank at its two longitudinal ends, so that no additional sewing steps are required. In this example, two blank sections are superimposed on each other in the area of ​​the limiting band 41, but they are not connected in such a way that an inflatable chamber is formed.

[0079] exist Figures 7 to 10 In the fourth embodiment of the vehicle occupant protection system 10 shown, the airbag 112 has an additional restraint chamber 180 in addition to the restraint chamber 22 .

[0080] In the fully inflated state of the airbag 112, the additional restraint chamber 180 extends parallel to the restraint chamber 22 and directly adjacent to it below the restraint chamber 22, i.e. between the restraint chamber 22 and the floor 30. With respect to the vertical direction V and the longitudinal direction L, the additional restraint chamber 180 is in the same plane as the restraint chamber 22 and the vertical support rod 24.

[0081] The additional restraint chamber 180 acts on the foot and shin of the vehicle occupant 14 from above as does the restraint chamber 22 and catches the legs of the vehicle occupant 14 during a vehicle collision. Therefore, the function of the airbag 112 is the same as that in the above-described embodiment.

[0082] The additional restraint chamber 180 has substantially the same length as the restraint chamber 22 with respect to the vehicle transverse direction Q and also substantially the same height with respect to the vertical direction V in the fully inflated state.

[0083] In the vehicle transverse direction Q, the additional restraint chamber 180 is firmly and permanently connected to the restraint chamber 22 via a partition 184 over its entire inflatable area.

[0084] A plurality of overflow openings 186 are formed in the partition 184, and when the restraint chamber 22 is filled, the filling gas overflows from the restraint chamber 22 into the additional restraint chamber 180 through these overflow openings. The overflow opening 186 is the only fluid connection between the additional restraint chamber 180 and the rest of the airbag 112, so that the filling gas flows into the additional restraint chamber 180 only through the restraint chamber 22.

[0085] Before filling, in this example, the additional restraining chamber 180 is rolled up along the vertical direction V into a roll 187 separated from the restraining chamber 22 and fixed in this rolled-up state by a retaining device (not shown) provided with a weakened area. The retaining device is only released when sufficient filling gas begins to flow from the restraining chamber 22 through the overflow opening 186 into the still rolled-up additional restraining chamber 180.

[0086] In this example, the blank of the additional restraint chamber 180 is integrated into the blank 42 of the airbag 12 in that further blank sections for the partition 184 and the additional restraint chamber 180 are arranged adjacent to the blank section of the restraint chamber 22 and are correspondingly connected to form the additional restraint chamber 180 (not shown).

[0087] In this example, the additional restraint chamber 180 is laterally connected to the vertical support rod 24 by two fabric sections 188 at each side edge 190 of the additional restraint chamber 180. The fabric sections 188 are not inflatable here. Optionally, the fabric sections 188 are not firmly fixed to the support rod 24, so that the additional restraint chamber 180 has as little influence as possible on the three-dimensional shape of the airbag 112 in the inflated state. If necessary, the additional restraint chamber 180 is only supported on the support rod 24 by the fabric sections 188, but not fixed to the support rod.

[0088] like Figure 7 As shown, there may be an additional, here obliquely extending limiting strap 200 from the additional restraint chamber 180 to the corresponding adjacent vertical support rod 24 in order to stabilize the position of the additional restraint chamber 180 in the fully inflated airbag 112. The limiting strap 200 is designed so that no significant tensile forces are transmitted to the vertical support rod 24.

[0089] The features of the various embodiments can be freely combined or replaced with each other as required by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection system (10) comprising an airbag (12; 112) for protecting the legs of a vehicle occupant (14), the airbag being arranged folded on a floor (30) of the vehicle in front of an associated vehicle seat (16) before the vehicle occupant protection system (10) is activated, and the airbag being deployed from the floor (30) in front of the vehicle seat (16) in a restrained state, wherein: The airbag (12; 112) comprises a plurality of tubular inflatable chambers (18) which are fluidically connected to one another and which are three-dimensionally connected to one another in the inflated state, wherein a plurality of the chambers (18) form a support rod (24) for the airbag (12; 112) and at least one of the chambers (18) forms a restraint chamber (22) in the upper region of the airbag (18), wherein, in the fully inflated state of the airbag (12), the restraint chamber (22) is arranged directly in front of the tibia region, knee region or pelvic region of the vehicle occupant (14).

2. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The support rods (24) are connected to form a three-dimensional frame (20), and the restraining chamber (22) in particular constitutes an upper crossbeam of the frame (20).

3. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The diameter (d1) of the restraining chamber (22) transverse to its longitudinal extension is greater than the diameter of the support rod (24).

4. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The support rod (24) is designed and arranged such that, in the inflated state of the airbag (12; 112), there is space for the legs of the vehicle occupant (14) in the area below the restraint chamber (22).

5. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The airbag (12; 112) has, in the inflated state, at least two support rods (26) extending obliquely downward away from the vehicle seat (16) and supporting the airbag (12; 112) on the floor (30).

6. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: At least one gas generator (38) is provided, which supplies filling gas to an airbag (12; 112) and is fastened to a floor (30) of a vehicle.

7. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 6, wherein: The gas generator (38) and / or the folded airbag (12; 112) are accommodated in a receptacle in the floor (30) of the vehicle before being activated.

8. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The airbag (12; 112) is fastened by at least one restraining strap (41).

9. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The airbag (12; 112) has an elongated blank (42) which can be folded multiple times in its longitudinal direction (L) while forming folding lines extending transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), wherein flat, superimposed sections of the blank (42) are connected to one another in such a way that the tubular chamber (18) is formed.

10. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: An additional restraint chamber (180) is provided which, in a fully inflated state of the airbag (112), is arranged parallel to the restraint chamber (22) and immediately adjacent to the restraint chamber (22) between the restraint chamber (22) and the vehicle floor (30).

11. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 10, wherein: At least one overflow opening (186) is arranged between the confinement chamber (22) and the additional confinement chamber (180), through which filling gas flows from the confinement chamber (22) into the additional confinement chamber (180).

12. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 9 and any one of claims 10 and 11, wherein: The blank of the additional restraint chamber (180) is part of the elongated blank (42) of the airbag (112).

13. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: The additional restraining chamber (180) is supported on the support rod (24) via lateral fabric sections (188).

14. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein: The additional restraining chamber (180) is connected to the adjacent support rods (24) in the region of its side edge (190) via at least one limiting band (200).

15. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein: The additional restraining chamber (180) is folded into a roll (187) separate from the restraining chamber (22) before it is unfolded.

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