Equipment for a motor vehicle with a towing eye and motor vehicle

Abstract

Equipment (15; 15'; 15") for a motor vehicle (14), with: a suspension eyelet (1) which has a suspension section (2) for suspending objects and a fastening section (5) for attaching the suspension eyelet (1) to the body (16) of the motor vehicle (14); and a guiding element (22; 22'; 22") for guiding an unfolding airbag (21) which is connected to the attachment eyelet (1), wherein the guiding element (22; 22'; 22") extends around at least one corner (27) of the attachment eyelet (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for a motor vehicle and to a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is common practice to provide hanging loops on the inside of the roof of a motor vehicle. These hanging loops are used to attach objects, such as a net partition.

[0003] One of the applicant's internally known suspension loops is in Fig. 1 shown in a perspective view.

[0004] The suspension eyelet 1 has a suspension section 2 for hanging objects, in particular the aforementioned net partition. The suspension section 2 consists of, for example, a substantially rectangular plate 3 and a contoured recess 4 formed in this plate. The object can be hung in the recess 4.

[0005] The suspension eyelet 1 further comprises a fastening section 5 essentially opposite the suspension section 2. The fastening section 5 also includes, for example, an essentially rectangular plate 6, which is provided with a recess 7. By means of the recess 7, the suspension eyelet 1 is attached to the inside of the roof of a Fig. 1 attached to the body of a motor vehicle (not shown), for example, screwed on.

[0006] The suspension eyelet 1 further comprises four bent connecting sections 11, which connect the suspension section 2 to the fastening section 5. This results in an approximately hexagonal shape for the suspension eyelet 1.

[0007] The mounting section 2 comprises several recesses 12, each of which contains a locking clip 13. A cover plate (not shown) for the mounting eyelet 1 is snapped into the locking clips 13.

[0008] In practice, the following problem has arisen: It is increasingly common to install curtain-type airbags on the inside of the roof, primarily to prevent head injuries to vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. However, the deploying airbag regularly collides with the mounting bracket, which can damage the airbag and thus cause it to fail.

[0009] DE 10 2007 048 951 A1 discloses a device for a motor vehicle, comprising a suspension eyelet which has a suspension section for suspending objects and a fastening section for attaching the suspension eyelet to the body of the motor vehicle; and with a guide element for guiding an inflating airbag which is connected to the suspension eyelet.

[0010] The present invention is based on the objective of providing an approach so that the airbag can deploy without sustaining damage.

[0011] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 or claim 4 and by a motor vehicle having the features of claim 10.

[0012] The underlying idea of ​​the present invention is to attach a guide element to the mounting eyelet, which guides the deploying airbag past the mounting eyelet, particularly past any sharp edges thereof. This reliably prevents damage to the airbag.

[0013] The sub-claims contain advantageous designs and improvements to the facility.

[0014] According to claim 1, the guiding element extends around at least one corner of the attachment eyelet. This prevents the airbag from coming into contact with a corner of the attachment eyelet, which is usually relatively sharp.

[0015] According to claim 4, the guide element extends from the fastening section to the suspension section. This allows the deploying airbag to be guided efficiently over the suspension eyelet.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the guiding element has a convex surface. Such a surface is well suited to guiding the airbag without damaging it. More preferably, the surface corresponds to a partial region of a cylindrical shell, torus, or sphere surface.

[0017] According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the mounting section and / or the fastening section is designed as a polygonal, in particular substantially rectangular, plate, wherein the guide element extends around at least one of the corners. Since the mounting section extends from the inside of the roof into the interior of the vehicle, there is a particular risk that a corner of the mounting section may come into contact with the deploying airbag. Preferably, according to the above embodiment, one of these corners is covered by the guide element.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the guide element has an S-shape. Such a shape is particularly well suited to guiding the airbag.

[0019] According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the guide element is welded to the suspension eyelet or manufactured integrally with the suspension eyelet. "Integral" in this context means that the guide element connects directly to the suspension eyelet, for example in the form of an extension, without any connection, for example in the form of a weld, between the guide element and the suspension eyelet. The integrally manufactured guide element is therefore made from the same piece of material as the suspension eyelet.

[0020] According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the suspension eyelet has a connecting section which connects the suspension section to the fastening section. This allows the suspension eyelet to be formed with a substantially square or hexagonal shape.

[0021] According to a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the guide element is welded to the suspension section, the fastening section and / or the connecting section, or manufactured integrally with the suspension section, the fastening section and / or the connecting section. In this way, the guide element can be easily connected to the suspension eyelet.

[0022] The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings.

[0023] The figures show: Fig. 1 in a perspective view a hanging eyelet known internally to the applicant; Fig. 2 in a schematic, partially perspective view a section of a motor vehicle including a device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 in a perspective rear view the furnishings Fig. 2; Fig. 4 in a perspective view a device according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 5 in a perspective view a device according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] In the figures, identical reference symbols denote identical or functionally equivalent components, unless otherwise stated.

[0025] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic, partially perspective view of a section of a motor vehicle 14 including a device 15 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. Figure 3 shows a perspective, rear view of facility 15. Fig. 2.

[0026] The motor vehicle 14 has a roof body area 16 to which an airbag module 17 is attached. If, for example, the motor vehicle 14 rolls over, an airbag module 17 will deploy. Fig. 2. Dashed line indicating airbag 21. The deployed airbag 21 is in Fig. 2 only partially shown.

[0027] Furthermore, the device 15 is attached to the roof body area 16 by means not shown, for example a screw.

[0028] For example, facility 15 consists of the one already mentioned in the introduction in connection with Fig. 1 described suspension eyelet 1 and a guide element 22 together.

[0029] The guide element 22 is designed to guide the unfolding airbag 21 past the attachment eyelet 1, thus preventing damage to the airbag 21.

[0030] For this purpose, the guide element 22 is designed with a convex surface 23. The surface 23 corresponds to a partial area of ​​a spherical surface. Alternatively, the surface 23 could also correspond to a partial area of ​​a torus surface or a cylindrical shell surface.

[0031] The guide element 22 is welded to the suspension section 2, in particular to its plate 3, by means of welds 24.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the guide element 22 consists of a base body 25 and a skirt 26. The base body 25 is welded to the plate 3 of the suspension section 2 by means of welds 24. The skirt 26 extends from the base body 25 – in Fig. 2 down, in Fig. 3 upwards - around a relatively sharp edge 27, see Fig. 3, around the plate 3. The base body 25 and the skirt 26 together form the surface 23 on their side facing the airbag 21. Preferably, the skirt 26 extends beyond the side 28 of the attachment section 2 facing away from the fastening section 5, in Fig. 3, also upwards beyond page 28.

[0033] Thus, the guide element 22 protects the airbag 21 in particular from coming into contact with the sharp corner 27, and therefore ensures its safe use.

[0034] Fig. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a device 15' according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Facility 15' also features, for example, the elements already mentioned in connection with the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. The described mounting eyelet 1 is therefore not described below, nor will it or its arrangement within the motor vehicle 14 be explained further below. The same applies to the mounting eyelet 1, which will be explained in more detail later. Fig. 5.

[0036] The device 15' also includes a guide element 22'. The guide element 22' also serves to guide the deploying airbag 21 over the attachment eyelet 1, thus preventing damage to the airbag 21.

[0037] According to the present embodiment, the guide element 22' has an S-shape. This results in a convex surface 23' for the guide element 22', which adjoins a concave surface 29.

[0038] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the guide element 22' can be welded at one end 31, i.e., one end of the S-shape, to the mounting section 5 by means of a weld 32. Preferably, the end 31 of the guide element 22' is welded to the plate 6, and more preferably to an edge region 32 thereof.

[0039] The guide element 22' extends from the attachment point formed by the weld 32 of the mounting section 5 to the suspension section 2. Simultaneously, the guide element 22' extends obliquely, for example at an angle α between 15° and 60°, away from a vertical reference line S. The reference line S is essentially parallel to a central axis M through the recess 7 or the recess 4. The free end 33 of the guide element 22' thus extends into the vehicle compartment without being further attached to the suspension eyelet 1. This allows the deploying airbag 21 to be kept at a greater distance from the suspension eyelet 1, thereby further reducing the likelihood of damage to it.

[0040] Fig. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a device 15" according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 5 differs from that according to Fig. 4 as follows: Initially, the guide element 22" is formed integrally with the plate 6 of the mounting section 5 at its end 31'. This means that the guide element 22" is formed from the same piece of material as the plate 6. For example, the plate 6, together with the guide element 22", can be punched out of a flat blank, after which the guide element 22" is bent out of the plane of the plate 6. The guide element 22" can thus be manufactured in a simple manner.

[0042] The guide element 22" differs from the guide element 22' according to Fig. 4 furthermore, by the fact that it is essentially straight and only has a slightly convex surface 23" at its free end 33'.

[0043] Naturally, the above examples of implementation are in accordance with the Fig. 2-5 can be combined in any way.

[0044] For example, the guide element 22' could be made of Fig. 4 be formed integrally with the plate 6 of the fastening section 5. Furthermore, the guide element 22' could be formed according to Fig. 4 also the essentially straight shape of the guiding element 22' from Fig. 5. The guide elements 22' and 22" could also be shown according to the Fig. 4 or 5 should not be attached to the fastening section 5, but to the hanging section 4.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not limited to these but can be modified in many ways. In particular, the further developments and embodiments of the device according to the invention described above are applicable accordingly to the motor vehicle according to the invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that "one" does not exclude a plurality.

[0046] All illustrated embodiments of the suspension eyelet are provided with deformation zones. These deformation zones are formed by the bent connecting sections 11. This bent design allows the suspension eyelet to yield in the event of a head impact in the direction of arrow F.

Claims

[1] Equipment (15; 15'; 15") for a motor vehicle (14), comprising: a suspension eyelet (1) which has a suspension section (2) for suspending objects and a fastening section (5) for attaching the suspension eyelet (1) to the body (16) of the motor vehicle (14); and a guiding element (22; 22'; 22") for guiding an unfolding airbag (21) which is connected to the attachment eyelet (1), wherein the guiding element (22; 22'; 22") extends around at least one corner (27) of the attachment eyelet (1). [2] Device (15) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the suspension section (2) and / or the fastening section (5) is designed as a polygonal, in particular substantially rectangular, plate (3; 6), wherein the guide element (22) extends around at least one of the corners (27). [3] Device (15', 15'') according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the guide element (22'; 22'') extends from the fastening section (5) to the suspension section (2). [4] Equipment (15'; 15'') for a motor vehicle (14), with: a suspension eyelet (1) which has a suspension section (2) for suspending objects and a fastening section (5) for attaching the suspension eyelet (1) to the body (16) of the motor vehicle (14); and a guide element (22'; 22'') for guiding an inflating airbag (21) which is connected to the attachment eyelet (1), wherein the guide element (22'; 22'') extends from the fastening section (5) to the attachment section (2). [5] Device (15; 15'; 15'') according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the guiding element (22; 22'; 22'') exhibits a convex surface (23; 23'; 23''). [6] Device (15') according to claim 5, which refers back to claim 4, characterized by , that the guide element (22') has an S-shape. [7] Device (15; 15'; 15'') according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the guide element (22; 22'; 22'') is welded (24; 32) to the suspension eyelet (1) or is manufactured in one piece with the suspension eyelet (1). [8] Device (15; 15'; 15'') according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the suspension eyelet (1) has a connecting section (11) which connects the suspension section (2) to the fastening section (5). [9] Device (15; 15'; 15'') according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by , that the guide element (22; 22'; 22'') is welded (24; 32) to the suspension section (2), the fastening section (5) and / or the connecting section (11) or is manufactured in one piece with the suspension section (2), the fastening section (5) and / or the connecting section (11). [10] Motor vehicle (14), with: a device (15; 15'; 15'') according to any one of the preceding claims; and an airbag (21); wherein, when the airbag (21) is deployed, it impacts the guide element (22; 22'; 22'') of the device (15; 15'; 15'') and is guided away from the attachment eyelet (1) by means of this element.

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