Motor vehicles with a protective device and procedures

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (10) with a protective device (12) having an extendable protective element (14) which, upon detection of an emergency situation, can be pyrotechnically extended from a storage position (P1) into a protective position (P2) in the vehicle's transverse direction (y) by means of a detection device (16) of the protective device (12), wherein the extendable protective element (14) can be extended in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x) directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle (10). It is provided that the protective element (14) is provided as an inflatable and / or at least partially cylindrical / tubular air bellows, and that the protective device (12) has a cable element (24) which is connected on the one hand to an extension side of the protective element (14) and on the other hand is fixed to the motor vehicle. The invention further comprises a method for operating such a protective device (12).

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a protective device according to patent claim 1 and to a method according to the invention for operating such a protective device.In the field of safety for occupants in collisions or other emergency situations, several protection devices or protection devices are already known. In particular, extendable protective elements are known which can be extended pyrotechnically to the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, for example airbags.DE 44 15 469 C1 already discloses a restraint system for vehicles, having an inflatable airbag which, in its inflated protective position, is held between a seated occupant and a large-format vehicle component.It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative safety measure by which occupants are at least partially protected in the event of collisions, wherein the protective device is to be arranged in the motor vehicle in a particularly space-saving manner.This object is achieved by means of a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 1 and by means of a method according to the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the motor vehicle according to the invention are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention, wherein the means of the motor vehicle are used to carry out the method steps. Further advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and by the figures.A first aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle having a protective device which has an extendable protective element which, when an emergency situation is detected by means of a detection device of the protective device, can be extended pyrotechnically from a retention position into a protective position in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the extendable protective element can be extended in the vehicle longitudinal direction directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle. Accordingly, a motor vehicle is provided which has the protective device which comprises or has the extendable protective element. This protective element can thus be extended from the storage position into the protective position when an emergency situation, for example an accident situation, is detected when the motor vehicle impacts against an object or an object by means of a detection device of the protective device. In the storage position, the protective element is thus positioned in particular invisibly within the interior space and is pyrotechnically extended into the protective position in the transverse direction of the vehicle, that is to say that the protective element is extended explosively in the transverse direction of the vehicle, in order to utilize the small time window for catching the thrown occupant and to provide safety measures. The deployable protection element is located directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this case, it is provided that the protective element is provided as an air bellows designed as an inflatable and / or at least partially cylindrical / tubular air bellows. Accordingly, this air bellows can be rapidly inflated in an emergency, in particular pyrotechnically inflated, in order to protect the occupants.In other words, a guard device is provided with a guard member which is extended in front of the occupant to catch the occupant upon acceleration forward in the event of an emergency situation. The protective device can be arranged here, for example, in the seat position on a center console between two seat locations of a bench seat, wherein the latter is positioned above the seat plane in order to enable the deployment. Alternatively, the protective device can also be arranged on the side doors, likewise above the seat plane. This arrangement thus makes it possible to additionally cover the leg region of the occupants and thus protect them in the case of emergency situations. Furthermore, the protection device can also be designed to cover and protect works or tables, laptops and trays in the leg region of the occupants. As a result, both the occupant and the objects or the objects external to the motor vehicle are at least partially protected or captured so that they do not fly through the room. The protective element can thus be at least partially bent in the protective position. This enables, in particular, adaptation to the shape and position of the occupants and a damped absorption of the impact energy in order to increase the protection and make the catching more comfortable.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the protective element can be extended by means of the cable element up to a predefined limit, which is predefined as a function of a positioning of the protective element. This means that the maximum extendability of the protective element depends not only on a spatially predefined limit, which is changed in particular depending on the positioning of the protective element, but also on the cable element, which has a predefined length and thereby limits the extent of the inflatable protective element. For example, the cable element could have a length that corresponds to a distance between the side door and the center console. When the protective element is inflated, it is no longer limited, for example, by its outer layer or outer skin, but is also limited in its extension in the vehicle transverse direction by the cable element because of the cylindrical configuration.In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cable element is fastened on the motor vehicle side within the protective element. Accordingly, the arrangement would be advantageous in that the cord element would be invisible to the outside and also does not take up any space unnecessarily. The extension side of the protection element would then be held by the cable, which likewise extends substantially in the vehicle transverse direction.In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cable element is fastened on the motor vehicle side between a vehicle seat and the protective element. By tensioning the rope in the area where the occupant sits, a protective measure is provided. This is provided in that the cable element pulls the protective element toward the occupant upon acceleration of the occupant, and thereby at least partially protects it from an impact in the vehicle longitudinal direction toward the front. In other words, the movement of the occupant toward the cable element moves the protective element toward the occupant because of the physical connection to the cable element. A stopping point of the protection element on the motor vehicle, a further connecting point of the cable element to the extension side of the protection element and a further stopping point of the cable element with the motor vehicle form a trick arrangement, wherein the cable element represents a hypotenuse. By pressing on the rope element, the protective element shown as a catheter would be bent towards the occupant, whereby the protection is increased and the protective measure is provided.In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the protective element can be extended directly in front of an occupant and directly over the leg region of the occupant. This provides, in particular, a targeted shielding and protection of the occupant, wherein, in the event of an acceleration of the occupant in the emergency situation, the occupant is caught in the abdominal region above the legs, and in particular it is achieved in that the entire body is accelerated as little as possible.In summary, the invention describes a planar protection system adaptively adjusted to individual body positions of an occupant or the protection device for interaction protection between head and legs using the protection element, which is in particular designed as an inflated tubular structure. This protection device uses a cable element of fixed length in conjunction with the protection element in order to provide a targeted and effective shielding. The cable member attached to the end of the guard member allows controlled movement of the guard member to protect the occupant. The rope member remains under tension as the guard member moves and positions in front of the occupant. The end of the protective element describes a circular path which guides the tube in the direction of the occupant. This construction allows the distance between the guard member and the occupant to remain relatively constant despite varying occupant positions.A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a protective device for a motor vehicle, in which a deployable protective element, which is designed as an inflatable and / or at least partially cylindrically designed air bellows, is pyrotechnically deployed from a retention position into a protective position in the vehicle transverse direction when an emergency situation is detected by means of a detection device of the protective device, wherein the deployable protective element is deployed directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this case, it is provided that an extension of the protective device is limited by a cable element which is connected on the one hand to an extension side of the protective element and on the other hand to be fixed to the motor vehicle.Further embodiments of the invention could provide a plurality of air bellows or tubes or a combination of tubes or air bellows to provide the protective element. These tubes or air bellows could thus be provided to form an air bellows of thicker cross section in order to expose a larger cushioning area for the occupant. Positioning could thus take place on the doors, on the central console, on the armrests, or on the door sill or at other positions in the motor vehicle.Furthermore, the protective device could be designed such that it also takes into account a behavior of objects on the legs or in the hand of the occupants, whereby, when using a table, the protective device is extended or inflated, in particular below the table and above the legs, in order to provide comprehensive protection, but not to hit the table when extending. Furthermore, the protective device should be designed to detect low risk situations, i.e. situations with a low risk or with a low emergency potential, and also adapt to the seat position of the occupant, for example. Further, it is also possible to provide a conventional airbag solution depending on the protection device, whereby the airbag and the protection member or only the airbag or only the protection member are applied in case of an emergency situation. Accordingly, the protection device may influence the setting of, for example, the front airbag, and also adjust the length of a tether, or provide a fixed length to increase the safety of the occupant. In this case, such a tether could be arranged as a length-limiting element, by means of which the protective element is limited in its elongate direction of extent.In summary, the invention offers a variety of possibilities for improving the safety of the occupants within the motor vehicle in emergency situations and in particular also for obtaining the comfort and flexibility of seating positions within the motor vehicle.Further advantages, features and details of the invention are evident from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and on the basis of the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in another combination or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a top view of a motor vehicle illustrating a protection device for the motor vehicle; FIG. 2 shows a further plan view of the motor vehicle to illustrate the protective device in a further positioning; and FIG. 3 is a pictorial diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment of the protection device.In the figures, identical and functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a motor vehicle 10 having a protection device 12 which is designed to at least partially increase the safety of occupants in emergency situations. This protective device 12 comprises an extendable protective element 14, which is designed to be activated by means of a detection device 16 of the protective device 12 when an emergency situation is detected. Accordingly, in such a case, the extension of the protective element 14 takes place, but in this case pyrotechnically, in order to enable the required speed for the extension. In this case, it is provided that the protective element 14 can be extended in the motor vehicle 10 in the transverse direction y of the vehicle and directly in front of an occupant or in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle in front of the occupant.The protective device 12 is thus designed to at least partially improve the safety of the occupant in the motor vehicle 10. In FIG. 1, it is shown above all clearly that the protective element 14 is positioned on the center console A. Accordingly, the protective element 14 is moved in the vehicle transverse direction y from the center console A and thus from the storage position P 1 into the protective position P 2 in the direction of a side door B, wherein an arrangement of the protective device 12 on the side door B and thus an extension in the direction of the center console A is illustrated in FIG. 2.It is possible for the protective element 14 to be designed as an inflatable air bellows and / or partially cylindrically or tubularly or as an element designed in this way. This configuration enables the protective element 14 to be filled, if necessary, in particular pyrotechnically with air or a fluid in order to enable the protective function. Thus, by using an inflatable protection element 14, a quick response to emergency situations can be provided, whereby the occupants can be protected from potential hazards.In the protective position P 2, the protective element 14 is thus extended or inflated and can also be at least partially bendable. This property enables the protective member 14 to conform to the individual position and shape of the occupant or provide a cushioning property by which the impact on the protective member 14 is made more gentle. Accordingly, it is provided that a risk of injury is at least partially minimized by the partial bending.The positioning of the protective element 14 in the vehicle longitudinal direction x is thus provided in front of the occupant. This arrangement enables the occupant accelerated in the emergency situation to be caught. Furthermore, it is provided that the protective element is positioned over the leg region 18 of the occupant in the vehicle vertical direction z. This is also intended to avoid targeted shielding of the pre-acceleration of the occupant at least partially, as a result of which the injuries in the emergency situation can be at least partially minimized.Furthermore, a maximum extendability of the protective element 14 is provided, which is made possible up to a predefined limit 20, which in turn depends on the positioning of the protective element 14. This limitation makes it possible to adapt the protective element 14 flexibly to different vehicle situations and to make it possible to adapt to a seat position of a vehicle seat. Thus, in an emergency situation detected by the detection device 16, the pyrotechnic activation of the protection element 14 is carried out. This results in the protective element 14 being adjusted or inflated or extended from its storage position P 1 into the protective position P 2 in order to protect the occupant. These particularly fast reactions by pyrotechnics are decisive in order to minimize or prevent the risk of injury to the occupant at such a particularly critical moment.FIG. 2 shows a further plan view of the motor vehicle 10 with the protective device 12 in a further positioning, wherein this time the protective device 12 is arranged on the side door B of the motor vehicle 10, in order here too to provide the safety of the occupant in emergency situations. This placement offers other advantages than the positioning on the center console A, wherein the functionality of the protective device 12 and thus the extension or inflation of the protective element 14 in the vehicle transverse direction y continues to remain. Here too, the attachment of the protective device 12 is used such that the extendable protective element is extended in the vehicle transverse direction y directly in front of the occupant in the event of an emergency situation. This thus also makes it possible here to shield the occupant from accelerating the occupant in the vehicle longitudinal direction towards the front. The positioning on the side door B also offers the advantage that the protective element 14 can be extended here too directly above the leg region 18 of the occupants in the vehicle vertical direction z. Further, the side door B also provides a space for accommodating the protection member 14, whereby the space at the center console A can be saved.The positioning of the protective device 12 in the motor vehicle 10 can, however, also be variable and can also be effected at further positionings, including further doors, armrests, door parapets and further positions in the motor vehicle 10. Finally, it is provided that the protective device 12 for the motor vehicle 10 is operated by means of a method in which the extendable protective element is pyrotechnically extended from the storage position P 1 into the protective position P 2 when the emergency situation is detected by means of the detection device 16. It is provided here that the deployable protective element 14 is deployed in the vehicle longitudinal direction x directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle. Furthermore, it is also provided that the protective element 14 is extended in the vehicle vertical direction z above a leg region 18 of the occupant.FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the motor vehicle 10, in which the protective device 12 has a cable element 24. This cable element 24 is connected on the one hand to the extension side of the protective element 14 and on the other hand fixedly to the motor vehicle or motor vehicle. In this case, it is provided to make an adaptivity of the protection device 12 more accurate, wherein a central aspect is a cable or the cable element 24 with a fixed length, which is fastened to the end of the protection element 24 or the tube or the air bellows and is shorter compared to a length of the protection element 14. The operation of this concept is based on the cable element 24 being under tension after the deployment of the protection element 14. The deployment force of the guard member 14 urges the cord member 24 toward the occupant 26 until it abuts the occupant. This has the result that the end of the protective element 14 describes a circular path 28 while the cable element 24 remains taut. This pulls the guard 14 behind and the distance between the guard 14 and the occupant 26 remains relatively constant regardless of the position of the occupant 26.Furthermore, in order to increase occupant protection, it is provided that the protective element 14 has a cushion. Alternatively, a plurality of such protective elements 14 can also be used in order to enable particularly advantageous cushioning.In summary, the use of the fixed length cable member 24 in conjunction with the guard member 14 may be applied to optimize the positioning of the guard member 14 in front of the occupant 26. This allows constant and reliable shielding independently of the occupant position, in particular depending on the corresponding geometry.In summary, the invention describes a planar protection system adaptively adapted to individual body positions of an occupant for protection between head and legs using inflated tubular structures.List of reference characters10 Motor vehicle 12 Protective device 14 Protective element 16 Detection device 18 Leg region 20 Boundary 24 Cable element 26 Occupant 28 Circular path 30 Distance P 1 Maintenance position P 2 Protective position A Console B Side door x Vehicle longitudinal direction y Vehicle transverse direction z Vehicle vertical directionReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 44 15 469 C1

[0003]

Claims

Motor vehicle (10) having a protective device (12) which has an extendable protective element (14) which, when an emergency situation is detected by means of a detection device (16) of the protective device (12), can be extended pyrotechnically from a storage position (P1) into a protective position (P2) in the vehicle transverse direction (y), wherein the extendable protective element (14) can be extended in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x) directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle (10), wherein the protective element (14) is provided as an inflatable and / or at least partially cylindrically designed air bellows, characterized in that the protective device (12) has a cable element (24) which is connected on the one hand to an extension side of the protective element (14) and on the other hand fixedly to the motor vehicle.Motor vehicle (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the protective element (14) can be extended by means of the cable element (24) as far as a predefined limit (20).Motor vehicle (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cable element (24) is fastened on the motor vehicle side within the protective element (14).Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable element (24) is fastened on the motor vehicle side between a vehicle seat and the protective element (14).Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protective element (14) can be extended in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle directly in front of an occupant and in the vertical direction (z) of the vehicle directly over a leg region (18) of the occupant.Method for operating a protective device (12) for a motor vehicle (10), in which a deployable protective element (14), which is designed as an inflatable and / or at least partially cylindrically designed air bellows, is pyrotechnically deployed from a retention position (P1) into a protective position (P2) in the vehicle transverse direction (y) when an emergency situation is detected by means of a detection device (16) of the protective device (12), wherein the deployable protective element (14) is deployed directly in front of an occupant in the motor vehicle (10) in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x), characterized in that deployment of the protective device (12) is limited by a cable element (24) which is connected on the one hand to a deployment side of the protective element (14) and on the other hand to be fixed to the motor vehicle.

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