Gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system and method for manufacturing a gasbag arrangement

Abstract

Gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising: - a gasbag (1); - a first fastening element (21) arranged inside the gasbag (1); - a second fastening element (22) arranged outside the gasbag (1); - wherein a section (12) of the gasbag (1) is arranged at least partially between the fastening elements (21, 22); characterized in that the section (12) of the gasbag (1) has at least one cut (13, 130); and the first and / or the second fastening element (21, 22) have at least one structure, wherein the fastening elements (21, 22) engage with each other via the structure.

Description

The invention relates to a gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for manufacturing a gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 14. Gas bag assemblies are known from US 2004 / 0046365 A1 and JP H11-34784 A. Typically, gas bags of a vehicle occupant restraint system are fixed to a vehicle-mounted component in a peripheral area surrounding a gas inlet opening ("inlet nozzle"). Such an arrangement is described in DE 4242137 A1. Here, the inlet nozzle of the gas bag is clamped between a retaining ring and a bracket, with the clamping effect achieved by rivets or screws. To effectively resist the forces occurring during deployment or when restraining a vehicle occupant, several convex and concave sections are provided on the retaining ring or bracket to increase the clamping effect. The convex and concave sections engage with each other, interlocked with sections of the inlet nozzle of the gas bag. A disadvantage of such arrangements can be that, depending on the penetration depth of the convex or concave sections during clamping of the gas bag and the thickness of the gas bag in the edge area of ​​the gas inlet opening (i.e., depending on the number of layers), radially oriented folds (starting from the edge of the gas inlet opening) are formed, which, if locally accumulated, reduce the clamping effect. The object of the invention is to improve the fastening of the gas bag of an airbag module. This problem is solved by providing the gasbag arrangement with the features of claim 1 and the method with the features of claim 14. Further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. A gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system is then provided, comprising: - a gasbag; - a first fastening element arranged inside the gasbag; - a second fastening element arranged outside the gasbag; - wherein a section of the gasbag is at least partially arranged between the fastening elements (in particular viewed perpendicular to the main extension plane of the first or second fastening element); - wherein the section of the gasbag has at least one incision. The section of the gas bag is secured, in particular, by means of the two fastening elements; specifically, it is held, at least partially, by clamping between the fastening elements. It is conceivable that at least one of the fastening elements is designed in the manner of a retaining ring or a gas line device. The second fastening element can be designed as a generator support and / or as a module housing. The (for example, slit-like) incision can be used to prevent wrinkling in the section of the gas bag located between the fastening elements. It is possible for the incision to be continuous, meaning it completely penetrates the material forming the section of the gas bag between the fastening elements. However, it is also conceivable that the incision does not completely penetrate the section of the gas bag, but only extends to a predetermined depth within the material (particularly from the inner side of that section). The section of the gasbag located between the fastening elements forms, in particular at least a partial section, a rim surrounding a gas inlet opening. Gas released by a gas generator can be introduced into the interior of the gasbag via this gas inlet opening. The gas generator, for example, projects a section through the gas inlet opening into the interior of the gasbag. At least one of the fastening elements has a structure through which the fastening elements engage with each other. For example, the first fastening element comprises a raised structure that engages, at least partially, in a recessed structure of the second fastening element (in the direction of attachment). In particular, at least a portion of the gasbag section is located between the structure of the first and the structure of the second fastening element and is fastened there, for example, by the clamping action of the engaging structures of the two fastening elements. It is also conceivable that the first fastening element does not have a raised structure but is located—at least along its main plane of extension—entirely within the recess of the second fastening element. For example, the (particularly ring-shaped) structure of the first fastening element protrudes from a side of the first fastening element facing the second fastening element. Similarly, the recess of the second fastening element is formed in a side of the second fastening element facing the first fastening element. It is conceivable that the structure of the first fastening element forms a rib, at least partially ring-shaped, which (relative to the assembled state of the gasbag assembly) engages in the recess of the second fastening element (particularly shaped as a groove). It is also possible, of course, that the second fastening element has a raised structure and the first fastening element has a recess. Furthermore, the fastening elements can interact with each other via the structures in such a way that they at least partially alter the shape of the gasbag section. For example, a portion of the gasbag section extends into the recess of the second fastening element and, at least partially and perhaps under the influence of the raised structure of the first fastening element, conforms to a wall bordering the recess. Furthermore, it is possible that the at least one incision is located between the structure of one fastening element and the other fastening element (viewed in a direction parallel to the main extension plane of the first or second fastening element and / or in a direction perpendicular to the main extension plane of the first or second fastening element). For example, the incision is located in the recess of the second fastening element, i.e., in particular in an area of ​​the gasbag that, after the fastening elements have been installed, is positioned in the recess of the second fastening element. The cut, for example, is at least partially curved. It is conceivable, in particular, that the cut extends at least substantially parallel to a curved section of the first and / or second fastener (especially when viewed along the principal plane of extension of the first and / or second fastener). This curved section of the first and / or second fastener could be, for example, the structure mentioned above, through which the fasteners engage with each other. It is also conceivable that the curved section is formed by an outer contour of the first and / or second fastener. Furthermore, it is possible that the cut runs at least substantially parallel to a subsection of the curved section that has a greater curvature than adjacent subsections of the curved section. According to another embodiment, the gas bag arrangement according to the invention has several incisions, each extending parallel to a curved section of the structure of the first fastening element and / or the structure of the second fastening element. The first and second fastening elements, as well as the section of the gas bag, may each have an opening through which a section of a gas generator extends (particularly through aligned openings). Furthermore, the first fastening element, the second fastening element, and the section of the gas bag located between the fastening elements may each have at least one fastening opening through which a fastening element (for example, in the form of a screw or a fastening bolt) extends for securing the gas bag. In particular, the first fastening element, the second fastening element, and the section of the gas bag have aligned fastening openings. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system, as described above, comprising the steps of: - providing a gasbag; - arranging a first fastening element inside the gasbag; and - arranging a second fastening element outside the gasbag, such that - a section of the gasbag provided with at least one slit is located at least partially between the fastening elements. The embodiments described above in connection with the gasbag arrangement according to the invention can, of course, also be used analogously for further developing the method according to the invention. In this case, the fastening elements are arranged such that they clamp the section of the gasbag located between them. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a partial view of a gasbag arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 a section of the gasbag of the gasbag arrangement from Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a section along III-III in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a section along IV-IV in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a modification of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 a further modification of the gasbag arrangement according to the invention. Fig. 1 shows a top view of a mounted fastening arrangement 2 of a gas bag arrangement 100 according to the invention from inside a gas bag 1 of the gas bag arrangement 100. The fastening arrangement 2 comprises a first fastening element 21 arranged inside the gas bag 1 and a second fastening element 22 arranged outside the gas bag 1. The fastening elements 21, 22 are located in a region of a gas inlet opening 11 of the gas bag 1, wherein an edge section 12 of the gas bag 1, which surrounds the gas inlet opening 11, is arranged and fixed at least partially between the first and the second fastening element 21, 22. The edge section 12 is concealed by the first fastening element 21 in Fig. 1; see, however, Fig. 2. The first and second fastening elements 21, 22 each have an opening 211, 222 aligned with the gas line opening 11 of the gas bag 1. A gas generator 3, used to inflate the gas bag 1, extends through the openings 11, 211, 222 into the interior of the gas bag 1. Furthermore, the first and second fastening elements 21, 22, as well as the edge section 12 of the gas bag 1, each comprise several (four) mutually aligned fixing openings (see the illustration in Fig.2 shown fixing openings 14 of the edge section 12, through which a fixing element 4 extends, via which the clamping of the edge area 12 of the gas inlet opening 11 is realized. Furthermore, the first fastening element 21 comprises a raised structure 212 projecting towards the edge section 12 of the gasbag 1. It should be noted that the raised structure 212 appears as a recess in the top view from inside the gasbag shown in Fig. 1. The raised structure 212 completely surrounds (without interruption) the opening 211 of the first fastening element 21. The second fastening element 22 has a recess 221 that is complementary to the raised structure 212 of the first fastening element 21 and surrounds the opening 222 (see Figs. 3, 4 to 5), with the raised structure 212 engaging in the recess 221. For the sake of clarity, the recess 221 in the second fastening element 22, whose contours are shown as dashed lines in Fig. 1, has been omitted in Fig. 1. The first fastening element 21 is shown here as an example of a doubly symmetrical design with an outer contour that has four strongly rounded (curved) corner regions 213. Between the corner regions 213, the outer contour of the first fastening element 21 has a straight course. In particular, the raised structure 212 extends at a constant distance from the outer contour of the first fastening element 21 and accordingly also has curved corner regions 2121. The fixing elements 4 are each located on a connecting line between a center of the gas inlet opening 11 of the gas bag 1 and the corner regions 213. It is conceivable that the fixing elements 4 are connected to the first fastening element 21 (for example, integrally). For example, the fixing elements 4 could be threaded bolts. Furthermore, several (four) incisions 13 are made in the edge section 12 of the gas line opening 11, which in particular counteract the wrinkling of the edge section 12 of the gas bag 1 during the installation of the first and second fastening elements 21, 22. The incisions 13 run at least approximately parallel to the corner regions 2121 of the raised structure 212 or the corner regions 213 of the first fastening element 21. In particular, the incisions 13 extend essentially only in the area of ​​the curved corner regions 213, 2121. Furthermore, the incisions 13 are located in a section of the edge section 12 of the gas bag 1 that, when the fastening arrangement 2 is installed, is situated between the two fastening elements 21, 22 and is clamped in place by the two fastening elements 21, 22. This section of the edge area 12 is limited in this case by the outer contour of the first fastening element 21. Fig. 2 is a top view of the edge section 12 of the gas conduit opening 11 from inside the gas bag 1 in the unmounted state of the fastening arrangement 2, i.e., without the first and second fastening elements 21, 22. It is conceivable that the edge section 12 has several layers of gas bag material (gas bag layers). In addition to a single gas bag layer that at least partially forms a gas-fillable outer shell of the gas bag 1, several protective layers can be provided inside the gas bag 1. The incisions 13 in the edge section 12 can be made such that all or only some of the gas bag layers are penetrated. In the latter case, for example, the incisions penetrate only the inner protective layers or only some of the inner protective layers. The outer contour of the first fastening element 21, indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 2, clearly shows that the incisions 13 are located further away from the center of the gas inlet opening 11 before the fastening elements 21, 22 are installed than after the fastening elements 21, 22 are installed (see Fig. 1). When positioning the incisions 13 (especially when determining their distance from the center of the gas inlet opening 11), particular consideration is given to the extent to which the edge region 12 of the gas guide opening 11 is deformed during the installation of the fastening arrangement 2 in the direction of the fastening (perpendicular to the fastening elements in 21, 22) between the fastening elements 21, 22; in particular, to what extent the edge region 12 is pressed into the recess 221 of the second fastening element 22. The course of the edge region 12 in the area of ​​the recess 221 of the second fastening element 22 and the raised structure 212 of the first fastening element 21 can be seen, for example, in Fig. 3 (section along III-III in Fig. 1) and Fig. 4 (section along IV-IV in Fig. 1). In particular, the edge region 12 extends into the recess 221 with a subsection 121, the subsection 121 following a contour of the recess 221 or the raised structure 212. As shown in Fig. 4, the incisions 13 are also located in the recess 221 and in particular between the first and the second fastening element 21, 22 (both when viewed along the main extension plane of the fastening elements 21, 22 and when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the main extension plane of the fastening elements 21, 22). Furthermore, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the gas generator 3 comprises a mounting flange 31 by which it is fixed to the second mounting element 22. The fixing is achieved using the fixing elements 4 of the first mounting element 21, which are designed as threaded bolts and engage with fixing nuts 41 to create a screw connection. The central axes M of the fixing elements 4 determine the direction of the fastening (clamping) of the edge section 12 by means of the fastening elements 21, 22, with the fastening direction being at least approximately parallel to the central axes of the fixing elements 4. Fig. 5 relates to a modification of Fig. 4, in which a section of the gasbag assembly is shown analogously to the section in Fig. 4. In contrast to Fig. 4, the first fastening element 21 is designed without the raised structure 212. Instead, the first fastening element 21 itself is fully engaged with the recess 221 of the second fastening element 22. In particular, the first fastening element 21 is fully contained within the recess 221 in the radial direction (viewed along its principal plane of extension), although an upper section protrudes from the recess 221. It is also conceivable, however, that the first fastening element 21 is fully contained within the recess 221 in a direction perpendicular to its principal plane of extension, i.e., does not protrude from it. Fig. 6 relates to a further modification of the gas bag arrangement 100 according to the invention. In contrast to the embodiment of Fig. 1, the first fastening element 21 here has a further (less strongly) curved area 2131 between two strongly rounded (curved) corner areas 213, to which an additional incision 130 of the edge area 12 of the gas bag 1 surrounding the gas line opening 11 is assigned. Fig. 6 thus illustrates that the number, position and / or shape (in particular the length) of the incisions 13, 130 in the gas bag 1 can depend in particular on the course of the outer contour of the fastening elements 21, 22 or the structures 212, 221, and that, for example, at least one additional incision can also be located between the fixing elements 4 or between the curved corner areas 213 of the fastening elements 21, 22. It should be noted that the figures schematically and at least partially in a generalizing manner represent fundamental aspects of the invention and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual embodiments of the gasbag module according to the invention. For example, the raised structure 212 or the recess 221 of the fastening elements 21, 22 shown in Figures 3, 4 to 5 has a rectangular cross-section. However, this is to be understood as merely exemplary. Embodiments are also possible in which the recess 221 is bounded by side walls that are inclined to the direction of fastening (perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the fastening elements 21, 22) or are provided with pronounced radii. Furthermore, it should be noted that the term "raised structure" refers to a structure that faces section 12 of the gasbag 1 (i.e., projects in the direction of this section of the gasbag).Accordingly, the term “depression” refers to a depression facing away from section 12 of gasbag 1, i.e., a depression extending away from the section of gasbag. Furthermore, in the figures, the recess 221 is indeed formed in the second fastening element 22. However, as mentioned above, it is also possible that the recess is formed in the first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22 forms the raised structure. Additionally, the first fastening element is depicted as a retaining ring in the figures, although other configurations are conceivable. For example, as mentioned above, the first fastening element could be designed like a gas guide (a diffuser). Furthermore, as also mentioned above, the second fastening element could be designed like a generator support or module housing.

Claims

Gasbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising: - a gasbag (1); - a first fastening element (21) arranged inside the gasbag (1); - a second fastening element (22) arranged outside the gasbag (1); - wherein a section (12) of the gasbag (1) is arranged at least partially between the fastening elements (21, 22); characterized in that the section (12) of the gasbag (1) has at least one cut (13, 130); and the first and / or the second fastening element (21, 22) have at least one structure, wherein the fastening elements (21, 22) engage with each other via the structure. Gas bag arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the section (12) of the gas bag (1) forms at least a partial section an edge region of a gas inlet opening (11) of the gas bag (1). Gasbag arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first fastening element (21) has a raised structure (212) which engages at least partially in a structure designed as a recess (221) of the second fastening element (22). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a partial area of ​​the section (12) of the gasbag (1) is located between the structure of the first and the structure of the second fastening element (21, 22). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening elements (21, 22) engage with each other via the structures in such a way that they at least partially change the shape of the section (12) of the gasbag (1). Gas bag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cut (13, 130) is located between the structure of one fastening element (21) and the other fastening element (22). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims as far as referenced to claim 3, characterized in that the cut (13, 130) is located at least partially in the recess (221) of the second fastening element (22). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cut (13, 130) is at least partially curved. Gasbag arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the cut (13, 130) runs at least substantially parallel to a curved section (213, 2131) of the first and / or the second fastening element (21, 22). Gasbag arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the incision (13, 130) runs at least substantially parallel to a partial section of the curved section (213, 2131) which has a greater curvature than adjacent partial sections of the curved section (213, 2131). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by several incisions (13, 130) which each extend parallel to a curved section of the structure of the first fastening element (21) and / or the structure of the second fastening element (22). Gas bag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second fastening element (21, 22) and the section (12) of the gas bag (1) each have an opening (11, 211, 222), wherein a section of a gas generator (3) extends through the openings (11, 211, 222). Gasbag arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first fastening element (21), the second fastening element (22) and the section (12) of the gasbag (1) have at least one fastening opening (14) through which a fastening element (4) extends for fixing the gasbag (1). A method for manufacturing a gas bag assembly for a vehicle occupant restraint system, according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: - providing a gas bag (1); - arranging a first fastening element (21) inside the gas bag (1); and - arranging a second fastening element (22) outside the gas bag (1), such that a section (12) of the gas bag (1) provided with at least one slit (13, 130) is at least partially located between the fastening elements (21, 22); - engaging the first and the second fastening element (21, 22) with each other, such that the fastening elements (21, 22) clamp the section (12) located between them, wherein the first and / or the second fastening element (21, 22) have at least one structure, the fastening elements (21, 22) engaging with each other via the structure.

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