Method for establishing a connection between a tensioning strap and an airbag

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for establishing a connection between a tensioning strap (2) and an airbag (3) that can be deployed from a vehicle seat (1). According to the invention, to form an assembly unit, one end (2.1) of the tensioning strap (2) is fastened to a headrest sleeve (1.1) for receiving a holding element of a headrest of the vehicle seat (1), and an opposite end (2.2) of the tensioning strap (2) is thickened by means of at least one spacer element (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tensioning strap (2), and the thickened portion (V) for connecting the tensioning strap (2) to the airbag (3) is guided through a slot (S) provided with at least one circumferential seam (N) in a connecting element (4) arranged on the airbag (3).

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a connection between a tension strap and an airbag deployable from a vehicle seat.From DE 10 2007 045 549 A1 a safety device for a motor vehicle seat is known. The motor vehicle seat has a cushion, wherein the safety device has an airbag which is coupled to a gas generator which is activated in the presence of sensor data about an accident or an imminent accident and fills and deploys the airbag with gas. In addition, the safety device has an activator, by means of which a separate gas cushion can additionally be reversibly filled with gas repeatedly. The gas cushion is connected to the airbag via a coupling element. The coupling member opens or forms a ventilation opening in the gas cushion when the airbag is deployed.Known from KR 10 2022 0 046 338 A is a method for producing a connection between a tightening strap and an airbag deployable from a vehicle seat, wherein, to form a mounting unit, one end of the tightening strap is fastened to a headrest sleeve for receiving a retaining element of a headrest of the vehicle seat, and an opposite end of the tightening strap is thickened by means of a spacer element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tightening strap, and the thickening for connecting the tightening strap to the airbag is guided through a slot, provided with a circumferential seam, of a connecting element arranged on the airbag (100).DE 20 2022 103 129 U1 discloses a tension band for connecting an airbag, which can be deployed from a vehicle seat, to the vehicle seat, wherein, in order to form the thickening, the airbag-side end of the tension band is folded over at least once and at least one spacer element is sewn in between a fabric section folded over at least once and a fabric section of the tension band.The object of the invention is to specify a more secure method for producing a connection between a tension band and an airbag which can be deployed from a vehicle seat.The object is achieved according to the invention by a method which has the features specified in the single claim.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.According to the invention, a method for producing a connection between a tightening strap and an airbag deployable from a vehicle seat provides that, to form an assembly unit, one end of the tightening strap is fastened to a headrest sleeve for receiving a retaining element of a headrest of the vehicle seat, and an opposite end of the tightening strap is thickened by means of at least one spacer element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tightening strap, and the thickening for connecting the tightening strap to the airbag is guided through a slot, provided with at least one circumferential seam, of a connecting element arranged on the airbag.The tension band is connected indirectly or directly to the airbag extending outside the airbag, wherein a positioning direction of the airbag is predefined by means of the tension band in order thus to optimize injury protection for an occupant on the vehicle seat to which the airbag is assigned.In this case, such a connection represents a tension strap concept, by means of which a quick fixing of the tether to the airbag is possible after mounting the tension strap on the vehicle seat.If the thickened end is guided through the slot in the connecting element, the clamping band is fixed to the connecting element in a force-transmitting manner, since the thickening largely prevents the clamping band from becoming detached from the connecting element when the airbag is positioned in its operative position, i.e. from slipping through the slot.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.In this case, the following are shown schematically: 1. a perspective view of a cutout of a vehicle seat with a clamping strap for an airbag fastened on one side, 2. a perspective view of a cutout of the vehicle seat with the clamping strap fastened to the vehicle seat and the airbag, 3. a schematic top view of the clamping strap fastened to the vehicle seat, 4. a schematic sectional illustration of the clamping strap, and 5. a schematic connection element for connecting the clamping strap to the airbag.Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a detail of a vehicle seat 1 with a clamping band 2 fastened on one side for an airbag 3 shown in FIG. 2.FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a detail of the vehicle seat 1 with the tightening strap 2, which is connected to the vehicle seat 1 and the airbag 3. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the airbag 3 is a so-called central airbag.In general, it is known that an airbag 3 without a so-called counter bearing, such as a vehicle component, represents a conceptual challenge, since the airbag 3 cannot be supported in its operative position and, as a result, restraint of an occupant on the vehicle seat 1, to which the airbag 3 is assigned, is possible only with comparatively high effort.A method for establishing a connection between the tension band 2 and the airbag 3 in order to optimize the restraint of the occupant on the vehicle seat 1 by means of the airbag 3 in the event of a collision, in particular a side collision, is described below.First, the tightening strap 2 is pre-assembled, in particular fastened, by one end 2.1 to a head restraint sleeve 1.1 of the vehicle seat 1. In this case, the tightening strap 2 is fastened to the vehicle seat 1, in particular to the headrest sleeve 1.1, as high as possible, such that a section of the airbag 3, in particular an upper chamber, is positioned on the vehicle seat 1 at the height of a head of the occupant in the active position of the airbag 3 and does not slide over the section of the airbag 3, for example the upper chamber.In particular, the airbag 3 is to be positioned and held in its operative position by means of the tension band 2 in such a way that the upper portion of the airbag 3 bears directly against the head of the occupant and the head does not slide over the airbag 3.FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the tension band 2 fastened to the vehicle seat 1, wherein FIG. 4 shows a sectional illustration of the tension band 2 and FIG. 5 shows a connecting element 4 for connecting the tension band 2 to the airbag 3.For fastening the tightening strap 2 to the airbag 3 after integration of an airbag module M, the component of which is the airbag 3, into a side region of a seat back 1.2 of the vehicle seat 1, it is provided to connect the tightening strap 2 to the airbag 3 by an opposite end 2.2.For this purpose, the opposite end 2.2 of the tension band 2 is made thickened, as is shown in particular in FIG. 4. The thickening V is formed by folding over a fabric section of the tension band 2 at least once, wherein at least one spacer element 5 is additionally arranged, in particular sewn, between the folded-over fabric section and a fabric section of the tension band 2. For example, the at least one spacer element 5 is fixed to the tightening strap 2 by means of two seams N introduced into the opposite end 2.2. In one possible embodiment, the spacer element 5 is formed by means of at least one fabric layer, in particular a fabric piece. The thickening V is wedge-shaped, wherein the thickening V tapers in the direction of an end region of the tension band 2, i.e. of the opposite end 2.2.In order to connect the tension band 2 to the airbag 3 so that a force transmission between the tension band 2 and the airbag 3 is possible when the latter is positioned in its operative position, the connecting element 4, for example a fabric flap, fastened to the airbag 3 has a slot S. For example, the connecting element 4 is a separate component which is fastened to the airbag 3 or the connecting element 4 is an integral part of the airbag 3 and is formed by means of the airbag 3 itself.In a possible embodiment, the slit S is introduced into the connecting element 4 by a straight cut, transversely to the longitudinal axis of the latter, wherein two seams N are provided circumferentially around the slit S, in particular in order to reinforce, stabilize and thus stiffen the slit S in terms of its shape. By means of the two seams N, wherein more than two seams N can also be introduced into the connecting element 4, it is largely ruled out that the slit S widens and thus there is a risk of slipping through with respect to the opposite end 2.2 of the tension band 2 having the thickening V.For the quick fixing of the tension band 2 to the airbag 3, in particular to the connecting element 4, the opposite end 2.2 of the tension band 2 having the thickening V is guided completely through the slot S. Since the dimensions of the wedge-shaped thickening V of the opposite end 2.2 of the clamping band 2 are selected to be larger than those of the slot S and a region of the thickening V with the largest dimensions bears flat against an edge region surrounding the slot S, which edge region is formed to be reinforced by means of the seams N, it can be ruled out to the greatest extent that the clamping band 2 is detached from the connecting element 4. The tightening strap 2 remains connected to the connecting element 4 in a form-fitting and force-fitting manner due to its thickening V, in particular when a tensile force directed in the opposite direction to the airbag 3 acts on the tightening strap 2 and / or a tensile force directed in the opposite direction to the tightening strap 2. In particular, the tightening strap 2 hooks itself to the connecting element 4 by means of its thickening V, so that a movement of the opposite end 2.2 of the tightening strap 2 away from the connecting element 4 is substantially prevented.By means of the tension band 2 fastened to the airbag 3 in this way, the airbag 3 can be guided during its deployment and fixed in its active position, in particular in relation to the occupant to whom the airbag 3 is assigned. In particular, a relatively secure, predefined positioning of the airbag 3 by means of the tension band 2 is possible.List of reference characters1 Vehicle seat 1.1 Headrest sleeve 1.2 Seat back 2 Clamping strap 2.1 End 2.2 Opposite end 3 Airbag 4 Connecting element 5 Spacer element M Airbag module N Seam S Slot V Thickening

Claims

Method for producing a connection between a clamping strap (2) and an airbag (3) which can be deployed from a vehicle seat (1), wherein, in order to form an assembly unit, one end (2.1) of the clamping strap (2) is fastened to a headrest sleeve (1.1) for receiving a retaining element of a headrest of the vehicle seat (1) and an opposite end (2.2) of the clamping strap (2) is thickened by means of at least one spacer element (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clamping strap (2), and the thickening (V) for connecting the clamping strap (2) to the airbag (3) is guided through a slot (S) provided with at least one encircling seam (N) of a connecting element (4) arranged on the airbag (3), wherein the opposite end (2.2) of the tension band (2) is folded over at least once to form the thickening (V) and the at least one spacer element (5) is sewn in between a fabric section folded over at least once and a fabric section of the tension band (2), characterized in that the thickening (V) is formed wedge-shaped by means of the folding over and the at least one sewn-in spacer element (5), wherein the thickening (V) is formed such that the thickening (V) narrows in the direction of an end region of the opposite end (2.2) of the tension band (2).

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