GAS BAG MODULE FOR A VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a curtain airbag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a vehicle occupant restraint system. By way of example, documents DE10 2014 016124 A1 and DE 10 2016 008241 A1 each show a curtain airbag module according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Gasbag modules, particularly side head gasbag modules, also known as curtain airbag modules, are well known in the art. They serve to reduce the forces acting on a vehicle occupant in a side impact. Such gasbag modules are attached, for example, via fastening sections 7' on their upper edge area 3o' to the vehicle body behind a vehicle interior paneling in the vehicle interior, so that the folded gasbag can unfold when activated by the unfolding vehicle interior paneling.

[0003] In order to study the unfolding behavior of the known Fig. 4 In order to be able to influence the gas bag module 1' shown, it is known that the gas bag 2' is provided with one or more retaining straps 4', which are fastened on the one hand to the A or C pillar CS' on the body side and on the other hand to a front or rear edge region 3b' of the inflated gas bag region 6' on the gas bag side. It has been shown that the gas bag 2' only slowly emerges from its rest position in certain situations, since the gas bag 2' can only be inflated gradually in its edge regions, for example due to a rigid fastening of the vehicle interior trim.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of proposing a curtain airbag module and a vehicle occupant restraint system of the types described above, in which the deployment behavior of the gas bag is further improved.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention with regard to a curtain airbag module by the features of patent claim 1 and with regard to a vehicle occupant restraint system by the features of patent claim 5.

[0006] Advantageous and claimed further developments arise from the subclaims and the description as well as the drawings.

[0007] Accordingly, a curtain airbag module according to claim 1 is proposed for a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising at least one gas bag for mounting on a vehicle body, wherein at least one holding element, which can be fastened on the one hand to the vehicle side and is fastened on the other hand to the gas bag side, is provided for positioning the gas bag in the activated state, wherein the holding element is fastened to an additional, non-inflatable surface section which is connected to an inflatable section of the gas bag.

[0008] By relocating the fastening position of the retaining element on the airbag side to an additional, non-inflatable area, the tension angle acting upon the airbag during deployment is advantageously changed by the tensile force acting on the airbag such that the edge areas of the unfolding airbag also release more quickly from their rest position between the vehicle interior trim and / or other body components. This is achieved in particular by the fact that additional tensile forces acting on the airbag in the direction of deployment due to the changed fastening position essentially pull the airbag out of the vehicle interior trim and subsequently tighten and brace it.

[0009] The improvement in the deployment behavior of the gas bag module proposed by the invention is particularly evident under extreme ambient conditions with regard to temperature and other inflation conditions. Consequently, the proposed gas bag module not only significantly improves the deployment behavior, but also improves the overall functionality of the gas bag module, particularly under extreme ambient conditions.

[0010] Because in the proposed gas bag module the surface section is fastened on the one hand to the edge region of the gas bag and on the other hand to the surface section-side or gas bag-side end of the holding element, the surface section serves as a particularly effective tensile force transmission means due to the fastening position shifted away from the outer edge region of the gas bag and can accordingly realize predetermined tensile angles depending on the shape and design.

[0011] For cost reasons, the surface section can preferably be made of a fabric or

[0012] The airbag should be made of a fabric material that corresponds to or is similar to the material of the airbag. Depending on the intended use, other materials may also be used. Preferably, the additional, non-inflatable surface section and the inflatable surface section are woven together or cut from a single fabric strip.

[0013] The above-described effect is particularly enhanced by the fact that the holding element is fastened to the surface section in a quasi point-like manner, so that starting from the point-like fastening position, corresponding tensile force components are transmitted to the gas bag at a predetermined tensile angle depending on the surface shape.

[0014] A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention provides that the gas bag module is mounted on the body behind a vehicle interior panel of an A-pillar, wherein the surface section or the surface element with the at least one attached retaining element is assigned to the front section of the gas bag in the direction of travel. The use of the gas bag module according to the invention in the region of the A-pillar is particularly advantageous because the vehicle interior panel of the A-pillar can be designed in a modified shape adapted to the respective ambient conditions and can also be made significantly stiffer without adversely affecting the deployment behavior.

[0015] The invention relates to a curtain airbag module designed as a side head gas bag, wherein it has a plurality of fastening points on its upper edge region, which is located in the installed state, for mounting on an interior roof area of the vehicle body. At least one additional, non-inflatable surface section is arranged on a front edge region in the installed state and / or on a rear edge region of the inflatable section of the gas bag in the installed state.

[0016] This allows the desired tensioning of the gas bag when inflated, which enhances the protective effect.

[0017] It is further proposed that the retaining element be attached to a free edge region of the additional, non-inflatable surface section, with the attachment being provided in the middle third of the height of the airbag. This also enables the desired tensioning of the airbag in the inflated state, which enhances the protective effect.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the holding element is a tension band , which is preferably sewn to the gas bag in the region of its gas bag-side end, and in which, further preferably, a connecting element, in particular a hook element, is attached to the other end for connecting the holding element to the vehicle body, in particular to an A- or C-pillar. This enables more efficient production of the gas bag module.

[0019] A length LA of the additional, non-inflatable surface section at the level of the holding element is more than one third of the free length LH of the holding element.

[0020] This places the force application point of the tension strap on the airbag further away from the inflatable section of the airbag. Since the additional non-inflatable surface section can also transmit the tensile forces resulting from the essentially vertically (downwardly) deploying inflatable section of the airbag at an angle, the effective tension angle Z eff changes from a essentially horizontal pulling direction to a diagonally downward pulling direction. Thus, the airbag is not only pulled horizontally from its resting position behind the vehicle paneling, but also diagonally downwards. This also enables faster deployment.

[0021] It is also preferred that a free edge region of the additional, non-inflatable surface section and an upper edge region of the gas bag enclose an angle α between 70° and 130°, preferably between 80° and 110°.

[0022] By orienting the free lateral edge area at this angle (optimally 90°) to the upper edge area of the airbag, it is possible to direct the effective tension angle Z eff from the attachment point of the retaining element (4) to the front or rear, lower corner of the inflatable surface section of the airbag. This also enables faster deployment.

[0023] It is further preferred that the gas bag module can be mounted behind a vehicle interior panel and, in the inflated state, extends from an A-pillar to a C-pillar or D-pillar.

[0024] According to a further preferred embodiment, it is proposed that the gas bag has a gas generator for providing inflation gas for the gas bag and a plurality of fastening devices, which are preferably attached to an upper edge region of the gas bag.

[0025] A further subordinate aspect of the present invention is based on providing a vehicle occupant restraint system with the gas bag module according to the invention and with at least one sensor unit for detecting circumstances that trigger an activation of the gas generator, and with a computing unit for defining the activation case based on the circumstances detected by the sensor unit. The proposed vehicle occupant restraint system provides the advantages already described and further advantages.

[0026] The present invention is further explained below with reference to the drawings. They show: Figure 1 shows a view of a possible embodiment of a gas bag module not according to the invention with an additional surface section on an inflated gas bag as a window or curtain airbag; Figure 2 shows a schematically simplified view of the embodiment of the gas bag module not according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the gas bag module according to the invention in its installed position, which illustrates the effect of the invention; and Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a conventional gas bag module in its installed position.

[0027] Regardless of the respective Figures 1 to 3In the embodiments of a gas bag module 1 shown, it is provided that the gas bag module 1, which serves as a vehicle occupant restraint system, comprises a folded and / or rolled gas bag 2 with at least one inflatable chamber as an inflatable interior, wherein the gas bag module is mounted as part of a gas bag module behind a vehicle interior panel, for example a ceiling panel, an A-, C-, and / or D-pillar on the body side. When activated, the vehicle interior panel is lifted off and the gas bag can unfold into the interior of the vehicle. In order to be able to influence the inflation or deployment behavior of the gas bag 2, one or more holding elements 4 or the like are provided, which are fastened on the one hand to the body side and on the other hand to the gas bag side.

[0028] For example, in order to enable faster deployment of the front and rear edge regions 3a, 3b of the inflatable volume 6 of the airbag 2, the invention provides that the retaining strap or retaining element 4 is fastened on the airbag side to an additional, non-inflatable front and rear surface section 5a, 5b, which is connected to or formed integrally with the inflatable surface section 6 of the airbag 2. Consequently, the fastening position of the retaining element 4 on the airbag side is relocated away from the airbag 2 in such a way that faster withdrawal from the rest position is enabled without sacrificing the required tightening and local bracing of the airbag 2 in its inflated position.

[0029] In all embodiments, the additional, non-inflatable surface section 5a, 5b is connected, on the one hand, to an outer edge region 3a, 3b of the inflatable surface section 6 of the gas bag 2 and, on the other hand, to an airbag-side or surface section-side end of the holding element 4. The end of the holding element 4 facing away from the surface section 5a, 5b is fastened, preferably with a hook element 9, to a body wall, in particular to the A, C, or D pillar, depending on whether it is a front or rear holding element 4.

[0030] In Figure 11 shows an example of a gas bag module 1 not forming part of the invention as a window or curtain airbag, with the gas bag 2 being shown in the unfolded but not inflated state. In this embodiment, the front, additional, non-inflatable surface section 5a is shaped such that, on the gas bag side, it has an edge shape adapted to the shape of the outer edge region 3 of the inflatable surface section 6 of the gas bag 2. Furthermore, the end of the holding element 4 facing the gas bag 2 is fastened in a quasi-point-like manner to a free (lateral or front) edge region (8) of the surface section 5 to create an improved tensile force application. The proposed gas bag module 1 can be mounted on the body side behind the vehicle interior paneling of an A-pillar (not shown in detail), with the surface section 5, with the fastening strap or holding strap 4, being assigned to the front section of the gas bag 2 in the direction of travel.

[0031] A length LA of the additional, non-inflatable surface section 5a at the (vertical) height of the holding element 4 is approximately one third of the free length LH of the holding element 4 in the embodiment shown. By dividing the available length between the body-side end of the holding strap 4 and the imaginary attachment point of the holding strap 4 in its imaginary extension on the inflatable surface section 6 on the holding strap 4 and the non-inflatable surface section 5a, the actual force transmission point gas bag / holding strap is shifted further (forward) towards the vehicle body.

[0032] The free lateral (in Fig. 1 front) edge region 8 of the additional, non-inflatable front surface section 5a and an upper edge region 3a of the gas bag 2 enclose an angle (α) of approximately 90°, as in Figure 2 outlined.

[0033] The Figure 1The design shown is further simplified using a schematic view in Figure 2 The dashed line delimits the additionally provided, non-inflatable surface sections or fabric sections 5a, 5b, which are adapted on the gas bag side to the shape of the front and rear, lateral, outer edge regions 3a, 3b of the gas bag 2. The surface section-side end of the holding element 4 is attached, in particular sewn, essentially in a point-like manner approximately centrally with respect to the lateral height H of the gas bag 2 on the side of the surface section 5a, 5b facing away from the latter.

[0034] Figure 3shows an alternative or schematic embodiment of an airbag module 1 according to the invention. In this embodiment, the surface section 5b is triangular and is attached by one side over a predetermined length to the rear edge region 3b of the inflatable surface section 6 of the airbag 2. Of course, a corresponding embodiment at the front end of the airbag is also possible alternatively or additionally. The holding element 4 is attached to the tip of the triangular surface section 5b facing away from the airbag 2. Via the legs of the triangular surface section 5b, a tensile force is introduced at predetermined angles onto the airbag 2 for faster deployment, as well as for tightening and bracing the inflated airbag 2.

[0035] Comparing this schematically illustrated embodiment with the one in Figure 4In the conventional example of a gas bag module outlined above, the effective force or pulling direction Z eff advantageous according to the invention becomes clear when the relevant rear or front edge area of the gas bag is unfolded from its rest position behind the vehicle interior cover of the C or A pillar CS. Reference symbol

[0036] 1Airbag module 2Airbag 3Outer edge area of the airbag 3Upper edge area of the airbag 3Front edge area of the airbag 3bRear edge area of the airbag 4Holding element or retaining strap 5Non-inflatable surface section 5a, 5bAdditional, non-inflatable surface section 6Inflatable surface section 7, 7aUpper attachment points 8Free edge area of the non-inflatable surface section 9Hook element 10Gas generator CSC column HHeight of the airbag blank in the non-inflated state LLength of the airbag blank in the non-inflated state LA Length of the additional, non-inflatable surface section LH Free length of the holding element αAngle between the free (front or rear) edge area (8) of the additional, non-inflatable surface section (5a) and the upper edge area (3a) of the Gasbag (2) Z eff effective pulling direction

Claims

1. A curtain airbag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising at least one airbag (2) for mounting on a vehicle body, wherein the airbag (2) is in the form of a lateral head airbag and, on its upper edge area (30) in the installed state, includes a plurality of fastening points (7) for mounting on an inner roof area of the vehicle body, wherein at least one holding element (4) on the one hand to be fastened on the vehicle side and on the other hand fastened on the airbag side is provided for positioning the airbag (2) when activated, wherein the holding element (4) is fastened on an additional non-inflatable surface portion (5a, 5b) that is connected to an inflatable portion (6) of the airbag (2), wherein the at least one additional non-inflatable surface portion (5a, 5b) is arranged on a front edge area (3a) in the installed state and / or on a rear edge area (3b) in the installed state of the inflatable portion (6) of the airbag (2), and wherein the holding element (4) is fastened to a free edge area (8) of the additional non-inflatable surface portion (5a, 5b), characterized in that the surface portion (5a, 5b) has a triangular design und with one side is fastened over a predetermined length to the front and / or rear edge area (3a, 3b) of the inflatable surface portion (6) of the airbag (2), and the holding element (4) is fastened to the tip of the triangular surface portion (5a, 5b) facing away from the airbag (2), and wherein the fastening of the holding element (4) on the free edge area (8) is provided in the middle third of a height (H) of the airbag (2) and a length LA of the additional non-inflatable surface portion (5a, 5b) level with the holding element (4) amounts to more than one third of the free length LH of the holding element (4).

2. The curtain airbag module according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding element (4) is a pull strap that is preferably stitched, in the area of its airbag-side end, to the airbag (2) and in which a connecting element (9), specifically a hook element, for connecting the holding element (4) to the vehicle body, specifically to an A column or a C column, is further preferably fastened to the other end thereof.

3. The curtain airbag module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it can be mounted behind a vehicle interior lining and, when inflated, extends from an A column to a C column or D column.

4. The curtain airbag module according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it includes an inflator (10) for providing inflation gas to the airbag (2) and a plurality of fastening devices which are preferably attached to an upper edge area of the airbag (2).

5. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a curtain airbag module according to at least one of the claims 1 to 4, as well as comprising at least one sensor unit for detecting circumstances which trigger an event of activation of the inflator, and comprising an electronic computing unit for defining the event of activation based on the circumstances detected by the sensor unit.