Impact protection device and method for operating an impact protection device

Abstract

Impact protection device (30) for an occupant (45) of a motor vehicle in a vehicle interior, in which a display device (20) with a display (25) is arranged, to which an airbag arrangement (15) is assigned, comprising at least one airbag (1, 2, 3, 4) which is filled with gas and inflates when the impact protection device (30) is activated, wherein the display device (20) comprises a circuit board (28) which is arranged in a housing (24) of the display device (20) behind a display panel (26), characterized in that the circuit board (28) is combined with the display panel (26) and the airbag arrangement (15) arranged behind the circuit board (28) in the housing (24) such that the circuit board (28) with the display panel (26) moves away from the housing (24) when the impact protection device (30) is activated, wherein the circuit board (28) is provided with predetermined breaking points (31, 32, 33) is provided,which cause a defined breakage of the printed circuit board (28) into printed circuit board fragments (35, 36, 37, 38) when the impact protection device (30) is activated.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an impact protection device for a passenger of a motor vehicle in a vehicle interior, in which a display device with a display is arranged, to which an airbag arrangement is assigned, which comprises at least one airbag that is filled with gas and deploys when the impact protection device is activated. The display device comprises a circuit board that is arranged in a housing of the display device behind a display panel. The invention further relates to a method for operating such an impact protection device in a motor vehicle.

[0002] International Patent Application WO 2021 / 242558 A2 discloses a flexible display panel with flexible joint sections for use in an automotive interior, wherein the display panel is advantageously designed for head impact. American Patent Application US 2022 / 0332267 A1 discloses a flexible display mounted on a device consisting of an airbag module and an inflation unit, wherein the device and the display are rigidly connected to one another but can move relative to one another during use. American Patent Application US 2021 / 0107552 A1 discloses a method and device for implementing a display in a front region of a steering wheel, taking into account an airbag in a moving object, for example in a vehicle, wherein the display is flexible and displaceable relative to the steering wheel.The American patent application US 2013 / 0 009 430 A1 discloses an energy absorber for a structure within a vehicle cabin comprising: a plurality of impact bags, a gas generator coupled to the plurality of impact bags, the gas generator having a canister and an ignition module; a control module electrically connected to the ignition module of the gas generator; and an outer surface adjacent to the plurality of impact bags, the outer surface having a fragile region adjacent to the plurality of impact bags, the fragile region having a weaker connection to the outer surface on at least the first side and a stronger connection to the outer surface on at least the second side.

[0003] The object of the invention is to further improve passenger protection in motor vehicles.

[0004] The object is achieved in an impact protection device for a passenger of a motor vehicle in a vehicle interior, in which a display device with a display is arranged, to which an airbag arrangement is assigned, which comprises at least one airbag that is filled with gas and unfolds when the impact protection device is activated, wherein the display device comprises a printed circuit board that is arranged in a housing of the display device behind a display panel, in that the printed circuit board is combined with the display panel and the airbag arrangement arranged behind the printed circuit board in the housing such that the printed circuit board with the display panel moves away from the housing when the impact protection device is activated, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with predetermined breaking points that cause the printed circuit board to break in a defined manner into circuit board fragments when the impact protection device is activated.With regard to the circuit board, behind means that the circuit board is located inside the housing. The display panel is located on the outside of the housing and represents the display. An imaging film can be arranged between the display panel and the circuit board. If an accident is detected while the motor vehicle equipped with the impact protection device is in operation, the impact protection device is automatically activated. The activated airbag arrangement accelerates the circuit board with the display panel a defined path towards the occupant, in particular the occupant's head. The displacement is limited, for example to a few centimeters, and advantageously serves to increase the deformation space available to the occupant in the event of an accident. Additional design effort is deliberately accepted in order to increase safety during operation of the motor vehicle, particularly in the event of an accident.The predetermined breaking points are introduced into the circuit board using an etching process, for example.

[0005] A preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the circuit board is designed to be so flexible that it deforms in the event of a passenger impact. The deliberately designed deformation of the circuit board can advantageously further reduce the risk of injury in the event of a passenger impact, particularly head impact.

[0006] Another preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the airbag arrangement comprises airbags, each of which is assigned at least one circuit board fragment. Here, too, the increased design effort is deliberately accepted in order to further increase safety during operation of the motor vehicle. Depending on the design of the circuit board, several circuit board fragments can also be assigned to individual airbags.

[0007] A further preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the airbag arrangement is combined with a mechanical structure that causes the circuit board to break into circuit board fragments in a defined manner when the impact protection device is activated. The mechanical structure can comprise plungers that engage the predetermined breaking points of the circuit board. The mechanical structure can also comprise separating elements, such as partition walls, which constitute a multi-chamber system for the airbag arrangement.

[0008] A further preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the airbag arrangement comprises a multi-chamber system. This multi-chamber system significantly simplifies the assignment of the airbags to the circuit board fragments.

[0009] A further preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the display panel is designed and arranged so flexibly that it deforms together with the circuit board in the event of a passenger impact. This can further reduce the risk of injury in an accident, particularly in the event of a head impact.

[0010] A further preferred embodiment of the impact protection device is characterized in that the display panel, together with the circuit board, is connected to the housing by a safety catch. This reliably prevents individual parts of the display device from flying around when the impact protection device is activated, in particular from circuit board fragments. The safety catch comprises, for example, safety straps, by means of which the display panel, together with the circuit board or the circuit board fragments, is connected to the housing.

[0011] The invention may also relate to a motor vehicle with an airbag arrangement as described above.

[0012] In a method for operating a previously described impact protection device in a motor vehicle, the above-mentioned object is achieved alternatively or additionally by the circuit board with the display panel moving away from the housing when the impact protection device is activated. Thus, the deformation space provided in the event of an accident can be effectively increased using relatively simple means.

[0013] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which various embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a display device with a housing and a display unit as well as an airbag arrangement integrated into the display device together with a greatly simplified representation of an occupant of a vehicle at a time t0; Fig. 2 the display device Fig. 1 at a time t1; Fig. 3 the display device Fig. 1 at a time t2; Fig. 4 a Cartesian coordinate diagram in which a path of the display unit from the Fig. 1 to 3 relative to the housing of the display device over time; Fig. 5 shows a crash protection device with a display device in which an airbag arrangement is integrated, in section in a non-activated state; and Fig. 6 the impact protection device Fig. 5 in the activated state.

[0014] In the Fig. 1 to 3 schematically illustrate a display device 20 with a display unit 40 and a housing 24. The display unit 40 includes, for example, a display panel and a circuit board. An imaging film can be arranged between the display panel and the circuit board. An airbag assembly is integrated into the display device 20.

[0015] An arrow 41 indicates a path axis. A circle 45 indicates an occupant, in particular a occupant's head, in the interior of a motor vehicle.

[0016] In Fig. 1 shows that the occupant's head 45 is positioned at a distance from a display 25 on the display unit 40 of the display device 20 at a time t0. The display unit 40 is accelerated slightly toward the head 45 at time t0 when an accident is detected.

[0017] The displacement of the display unit 40 along the path axis 41 ends at a time t1, which is Fig. 2. An arrow 42 indicates the path traveled by the display unit 40 along the path axis 41.

[0018] The axial displacement of the display unit 40 increases the deformation space that can be displayed with the display device 20. The distance between the occupant head 45 and the display 25 of the display device 20 is Fig. 2 compared to Fig. 1 significantly reduced. In Fig. 3 shows a time t2 after an intrusion of the occupant head 45.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 4 shows a Cartesian coordinate diagram with an x-axis 51 and a y-axis 52. On the x-axis 51, a time t is plotted in a suitable time unit, for example, in seconds. The times t0, t1, and t2 are plotted in the coordinate diagram. On the y-axis 52, a path along the path axis 41 is plotted in the Fig. 1 to 3 are plotted in a suitable distance unit, such as millimeters. A double arrow 55 corresponds to the distance 42 in Fig. 2.

[0020] In the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the display device 20 with the display 25 and with an impact protection device 30 integrated into the display device 20 in section. Fig. 5 shows the display device 20 with the impact protection device 30 in a non-activated state. In Fig. 6 shows the display device 20 with the impact protection device 30 in the activated state.

[0021] The impact protection device 30 integrated into the display device 20 comprises an airbag arrangement 15 with four airbags 1, 2, 3, 4 visible in the section shown. The airbags 1 to 4 of the airbag arrangement 15 are combined in the housing 24 on a rear wall with a gas generator (not shown). With the gas generator, the airbags 1 to 4 can be inflated as needed when an accident is detected, as can be seen in a summary of the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 sees.

[0022] The display 25 of the display device 20 is represented by a display panel 26. The display panel 26 is combined with an optional imaging film 27 and a circuit board 28 in the display unit 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 28 is designed with predetermined breaking points 31, 32, 33.

[0023] The impact protection device 30 comprises a mechanical structure 34 which is suitable for breaking the circuit board 28 at the predetermined breaking points 31, 32, 33 when the airbag arrangement 15 is activated.

[0024] The mechanical structure 34 comprises three structural elements 71, 72, 73, which are assigned to the predetermined breaking points 31, 32, 33. The structural elements 71 to 73 are designed, for example, as tappets or as partition walls of the airbag arrangement 15, which is designed as a multi-chamber system.

[0025] The display panel 26 of the display unit 40 is held to the housing 24 by means of a retaining device 39. The retaining device 39 comprises, for example, elastic retaining straps that prevent individual parts of the display unit 40, in particular circuit board fragments 35, 36, 37, 38 of the circuit board 28, which breaks at the predetermined breaking points 31, 32, 33 when the airbag assembly 15 is activated, from flying around uncontrollably in the vehicle interior.

[0026] In the event of an accident, which is detected by a suitable sensor device during operation of the motor vehicle, the airbag arrangement 15 of the impact protection device 30 is activated in the display device 20. The airbags 1 to 4 are inflated with suitable propellant charges, as can be seen in Fig. 6. The display unit 40 with the circuit board 28 then moves in the desired manner from the rear wall of the housing 24 into Fig. 6 to the right. The circuit board 28 breaks at the predetermined breaking points 31 to 33. Reference symbol 1 airbag 2 airbags 3 airbag 4 airbag 15 Airbag arrangement 20 Display device 24 housings 25 displays 26 Scoreboard 27 imaging slide 28 circuit board 30 Impact protection device 31 Predetermined breaking point 32 predetermined breaking point 33 Predetermined breaking point 34 mechanical structure 35 Circuit board fragment 36 Circuit board fragment 37 Circuit board fragment 38 Circuit board fragment 39 Safety gear 40 display unit 41 Way axis 42 Way 51 x-axis 52 y-axis 55 Double arrow 71 Structural element 72 structural element 73 Structural element

Claims

[1] Impact protection device (30) for an occupant (45) of a motor vehicle in a vehicle interior, in which a display device (20) with a display (25) is arranged, to which an airbag arrangement (15) is assigned, which comprises at least one airbag (1, 2, 3, 4) which is filled with gas and unfolds when the impact protection device (30) is activated, wherein the display device (20) comprises a printed circuit board (28) which is arranged in a housing (24) of the display device (20) behind a display panel (26), characterized bythat the circuit board (28) is combined with the display panel (26) and the airbag arrangement (15) arranged behind the circuit board (28) in the housing (24) in such a way that the circuit board (28) with the display panel (26) moves away from the housing (24) when the impact protection device (30) is activated, wherein the circuit board (28) is provided with predetermined breaking points (31, 32, 33) which cause the circuit board (28) to break in a defined manner into circuit board fragments (35, 36, 37, 38) when the impact protection device (30) is activated. [2] Impact protection device (30) according to claim 1, characterized by that the circuit board (28) is designed to be so flexible that it deforms in the event of an occupant impact. [3] Impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the airbag arrangement (15) comprises airbags (1,2,3,4), each of which is assigned at least one circuit board fragment (35,36,37,38). [4] Impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the airbag arrangement (15) is combined with a mechanical structure (34) which causes the defined breaking of the printed circuit board (28) into the printed circuit board fragments (35,36,37,38) when the impact protection device (30) is activated. [5] Impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the airbag arrangement (15) comprises a multi-chamber system. [6] Impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the display panel (26) is designed and arranged so flexibly that it deforms together with the circuit board (28) in the event of an occupant impact. [7] Impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the display panel (26) together with the circuit board (28) is connected to the housing (24) by a catch device (39). [8] Method for operating an impact protection device (30) according to one of the preceding claims in a motor vehicle, characterized by that the circuit board (28) with the display panel (26) moves away from the housing (24) when the impact protection device (30) is activated.

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