Vehicle occupant protection having an airbag

Abstract

In a vehicle occupant protection system (10) having an airbag (12), which prior to activation of the vehicle occupant protection system (10) is arranged folded together on a floor (30) of a vehicle in front of an allocated vehicle seat (16) and which in a restraint situation unfolds from the floor (30) in front of the vehicle seat (16), the airbag (12) has several tubular inflatable chambers (18) which are in flow connection and which are three-dimensionally interconnected in the inflated state, wherein several of the chambers (18) form support struts (24) for the airbag (12), while at least one of the chambers (18) in an upper region of the airbag (18) forms a restraint chamber (22).

Description

[0001] Vehicle occupant protection system with a gas bag

[0002] The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system with a gas bag.

[0003] In previous vehicle interior concepts, vehicle occupants enjoy only very limited legroom. While this compromises occupant comfort, it offers the advantage in restraint situations that the occupants' legs are generally restrained by vehicle-mounted components, such as the bulkhead, the instrument panel, or the seats positioned in front of them. To improve leg protection, specific knee airbags are also known. These expand from the respective vehicle-mounted structure toward the occupant's legs.

[0004] New concepts, especially those related to autonomous driving, should allow vehicle occupants to choose their seating position more freely within the vehicle interior. This may even result in configurations where a great deal of legroom is available.

[0005] The object of the invention is to improve the protection of the legs of the vehicle occupant and the kinematics of the vehicle occupant, in particular the legs of the vehicle occupant, even in such seating positions.

[0006] This is achieved with a vehicle occupant protection system comprising a gas bag for protecting the legs of the vehicle occupant. The gas bag is arranged in a folded state on the floor of a vehicle in front of an assigned vehicle seat prior to activation of the vehicle occupant protection system. In a restraint situation, the gas bag deploys from the floor in front of the vehicle seat. The gas bag comprises a plurality of tubular inflatable chambers that are in fluid communication and are three-dimensionally connected to one another when inflated. Several of the chambers form support struts for the gas bag, while at least one of the chambers forms a restraint chamber in an upper region of the gas bag.

[0007] In a restraint situation, the gas bag offers, among other things, protection against the vehicle occupant's legs swinging up on the vehicle seat if the assigned vehicle seat offers plenty of legroom to the front.

[0008] It is also conceivable to position the airbag near a vehicle-mounted structure. In this case, it acts as a knee airbag in a restraint situation, protecting the vehicle occupant's legs from contact with the vehicle-mounted structure.

[0009] The support struts ensure that the airbag assumes its desired three-dimensional shape and stabilize it in this shape. This allows for a gas bag that encloses a very large overall volume, yet requires relatively little inflation gas due to its construction of inflatable tubular chambers. This means that the gas bag requires no additional support surfaces on vehicle-mounted components other than the vehicle floor. The gas bag can be easily configured by changing the arrangement of the support struts so that the restraint chamber assumes the desired position for the respective vehicle and the respective restraint situation.

[0010] The internal pressure of the tubular chambers can be set higher than in a conventional airbag to improve the shape-stabilizing effect. Due to the small overall volume, this requires little or no more inflation gas than conventional knee airbags. The airbag itself is flexible enough to cushion the vehicle occupant's legs, in particular, because the tubular chambers generally yield to a certain extent perpendicular to their longitudinal extension under load.

[0011] The support struts are preferably connected to form a three-dimensional frame. The retention chamber is formed, in particular, by an upper cross strut of the frame, e.g., the uppermost cross strut in the vertical direction (in the fully inflated airbag).

[0012] The areas between the individual tubular chambers are preferably open, so that the gas bag consists only of the tubular inflatable chambers.

[0013] The airbag can have a single or multiple specific restraint chambers, e.g., with a larger diameter perpendicular to their longitudinal extent, and thus usually also a larger volume, than the support struts, in order to achieve a more even containment or better support of the vehicle occupant's legs. The diameter is considered perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the tubular chambers.

[0014] Of course, every part of the gas bag and each of the tubular chambers, including the support struts, exerts a restraining effect when the vehicle occupant comes into contact with them.

[0015] When the gas bag is fully inflated, the restraint chamber is preferably arranged directly in front of the shin area or knee area of ​​the vehicle occupant. In a further embodiment, when the gas bag is fully inflated, the restraint chamber can be arranged in front of the pelvic area of ​​the vehicle occupant. By selecting the length and orientation of the support struts, the shape of the gas bag can be easily adapted to the desired task. An arrangement of the restraint chamber above the pelvic area of ​​the vehicle occupant (based on the size of a 50% dummy or a 95% dummy) is not provided for in a gas bag according to the invention for protecting the legs of the vehicle occupant.

[0016] One of the support struts close to the ground may, if necessary, be designed to catch the heels of the vehicle occupant in the area of ​​the vehicle floor and thus stop the occupant from moving forward.

[0017] The support struts are designed and arranged, for example, in such a way that when the gas bag is inflated, there is space for the legs of the vehicle occupant in the area below the restraint chamber, so that the gas bag has a free space centrally below the restraint chamber in which the legs can swing upwards and be caught by the underside of the restraint chamber, which can in particular prevent the legs from swinging upwards.

[0018] When fully inflated, the airbag can have the shape of a wedge-shaped frame, with at least two support struts extending diagonally downwards from the vehicle seat, which support the airbag on the floor. These diagonal support struts, for example, form a supporting triangle with additional vertical and horizontal support struts at both longitudinal ends of the restraint chamber. A lower end of the diagonal support struts can be connected to a rear cross strut running along the floor. In addition, additional support struts can be provided to further stabilize the shape. The general intention is for the airbag to form a dimensionally stable frame.

[0019] To anchor the airbag to the floor, suitable brackets can be arranged at least at the lower ends of the vertical support struts and / or the angled support struts, for example, fabric tabs that may already be pre-cut into the airbag. These brackets are connected to vehicle-mounted support structures on the floor of the vehicle, for example, by hooking or screwing.

[0020] Preferably, all tubular chambers, i.e. both the support struts and the retention chamber, are in flow connection with each other.

[0021] The vehicle occupant protection system preferably comprises at least one gas generator which supplies filling gas for the gas bag and which is attached to the floor of the vehicle.

[0022] For example, the gas generator can be fluidically connected to one of the support struts closest to the floor, preferably the rearmost support strut as viewed from the vehicle seat, for example, via an inlet in the middle of the longitudinal extension of this support strut. To achieve the fastest possible inflation of the gas bag, two gas generators can be provided. These are then arranged, for example, in the area of ​​the two longitudinal ends of the rearmost support strut. The fluidic connection can be established such that the gas generator is directly connected to the support strut, or via a possibly flexible gas supply line that leads to the gas bag and is fluidly connected to the support strut. The latter case opens up the option of installing the gas generator(s) away from the gas bag.

[0023] The total volume of the gas bag can be, for example, about 30 l.

[0024] The gas generator and / or the folded gas bag are housed in a recess in the vehicle floor before activation, for example, so that they are not noticeable to the vehicle occupants inside the vehicle. For example, a complete gas bag module containing the gas bag and the gas generator(s) can be housed in the floor. To conceal the gas bag module before activation, it can, for example, be mounted on a rotating plate arranged above the recess. This means that the gas bag module is recessed into the floor before activation and pivots upwards in a restraint situation before the filling gas flows into the gas bag.

[0025] For additional stability, the airbag can be secured with at least one safety strap. Guying is also possible between individual support struts.

[0026] The safety strap, for example, is a one-piece part of a cut-out of the gas bag.

[0027] It is also conceivable to replace the inclined support struts with retaining straps that run diagonally from the longitudinal ends of the restraint chamber to the floor of the vehicle.

[0028] The production of the gas bag can be simplified if the gas bag has an elongated blank that can be folded several times in its longitudinal direction to form fold lines running transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), with flat, superimposed sections of the blank being connected to one another to form the tubular chambers. In this case, the tubular chambers are not sewn together from individual fabric tubes, but are created by sewing (or otherwise connecting) two flat, superimposed blank sections between these blank sections. Alternatively, such a gas bag can be manufactured using a one-piece weaving process. The recesses between the support struts in the inflated gas bag can be created by cutouts or indentations in the blank.It is conceivable to design the complete blank in one piece, but it is also possible, for example, to design a front side of the retention chamber and the vertical support struts as a second blank part.

[0029] Suitably arranged non-inflatable areas in the cut, preferably on the fold lines, define the angle between the individual support struts in the finished gas bag in a simple manner via additional seams.

[0030] The flow connections between the individual tubular chambers can also be specified by the course of the seams.

[0031] Depending on their position, the seams can be curved or gathered seams, for example, to achieve the desired shape of the inflated gas bag.

[0032] To reduce the stress on the seams caused by inflowing inflation gas, it is possible to arrange gas line layers or reinforcement layers in the relevant areas inside the airbag. If two gas generators or two gas introduction points are provided, a folded gas line layer can extend across the entire width of the airbag inside the support struts used for gas introduction.

[0033] In a further embodiment, an additional restraint chamber is provided, which, when the gas bag is fully inflated, is arranged parallel to the restraint chamber and directly adjacent to the restraint chamber, between the restraint chamber and the floor of the vehicle. The additional restraint chamber is preferably located in the same plane as the restraint chamber and the vertical support struts that adjoin it to the side of the restraint chamber. The additional restraint chamber helps to safely restrain the vehicle occupant's legs and prevent hyperextension.

[0034] In particular, at least one overflow opening is arranged between the retention chamber and the additional retention chamber, through which filling gas flows from the retention chamber into the additional retention chamber. The additional retention chamber is preferably filled exclusively through a flow connection with the retention chamber, so that filling gas always flows through the retention chamber into the additional retention chamber. Thus, the additional retention chamber generally only expands after the retention chamber has at least begun to fill.

[0035] The internal volumes of the retention chamber and the additional retention chamber are preferably separated from each other by a partition in which the at least one overflow opening is formed. The partition advantageously extends over the entire length of the additional retention chamber in the transverse direction of the vehicle. For example, several overflow openings are arranged along the connecting line so that the additional retention chamber can be filled quickly and evenly over its entire length.

[0036] A cut-out of the additional restraint chamber is preferably part of the elongated cut-out of the gas bag so that the additional restraint chamber can be easily manufactured together with the other inflatable chambers of the gas bag.

[0037] To quickly and safely position the additional restraint chamber at the desired location and stabilize it if necessary, the additional restraint chamber can be supported on the support struts, for example, via lateral fabric sections. These fabric sections are preferably non-inflatable. However, care should be taken to ensure that the fabric sections do not exert any significant forces on the support struts, so that the three-dimensional shape of the airbag is influenced as little as possible by the additional restraint chamber.

[0038] Alternatively or in addition to the fabric sections, retaining straps can be provided which run between the side edges of the additional restraint chamber and the adjacent vertical support strut, and which position and, if necessary, stabilize the additional restraint chamber. Here, too, care must be taken to ensure that the position and length of the retaining straps are selected so that essentially no lateral tensile forces are transferred to the vertical support struts. Before it is filled, the additional restraint chamber is preferably folded together, in particular rolled up, in a package separate from the restraint chamber so that it unfolds and fills later than the restraint chamber. The additional restraint chamber preferably only unfolds after the rest of the gas bag has unfolded and assumed its three-dimensional shape. This ensures that the additional restraint chamber does not hinder the unfolding and filling of the support struts.

[0039] The invention is described in more detail below using several exemplary embodiments. The drawings show:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a gas bag of a vehicle occupant protection system according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a gas bag of a vehicle occupant protection system according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0042] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the vehicle occupant protection system from Figure 2 in a restraint situation;

[0043] Figure 4 shows a flat, spread-out cut-out of the gas bag from Figure 2;

[0044] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a gas bag of a vehicle occupant protection system according to the invention in accordance with a third embodiment;

[0045] Figure 6 shows a flat, spread-out cut-out of the gas bag from Figure 5;

[0046] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle occupant protection system according to the invention in accordance with a fourth embodiment;

[0047] Figure 8 is a schematic side view of the gas bag from Figure 7;

[0048] Figure 9 is a schematic detailed view of the retention chamber and the

[0049] Additional restraint chamber of the gas bag from Figure 7; and

[0050] REVISED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA / EP Figure 10 is a schematic representation of overflow openings between the containment chamber and the additional containment chamber of the gas bag from Figure 7.

[0051] Identical, similar, or functionally equivalent components of all embodiments are identified by the same reference numerals (or numbers increased by 100). For reasons of clarity, not all identical components are always provided with reference numerals.

[0052] Figure 1 shows a vehicle occupant protection system 10 with a gas bag 12, which is designed to protect the legs of a vehicle occupant 14 on a vehicle seat 16 (see Figure 3) according to a first embodiment, in a fully inflated state.

[0053] The gas bag 12 comprises several tubular chambers 18 which are in flow communication with each other and which together form a kind of three-dimensional wedge-shaped frame 20.

[0054] The spaces between the tubular chambers 18 are left open. In this embodiment, the gas bag 12 consists only of the tubular chambers 18.

[0055] One of the tubular chambers 18 is designed as a retention chamber 22 and, in this example, has a larger diameter di compared to the diameter d of the remaining tubular chambers 18. The retention chamber 22 is arranged here in the upper region of the gas bag 12 at the uppermost (relative to a vertical direction V) and rearmost (relative to a longitudinal direction L pointing away from the vehicle seat 16) tubular chamber 18 and extends along a transverse direction Q of the vehicle seat 16 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and to the vertical direction V.

[0056] The gas bag 12 is aligned such that the retention chamber 22 is located on the side of the gas bag 12 facing the vehicle seat 16.

[0057] The remaining tubular chambers 18 form support struts 24, which ensure the dimensional stability of the gas bag 12. The frame 20 is designed so that the gas bag 12 is inherently dimensionally stable when inflated. In this example, two diagonally extending support struts 26 are provided, which attach to the longitudinal ends 28 of the restraint chamber 22 and extend to a floor 30 of the vehicle.

[0058] At the longitudinal ends 28 of the retention chamber 22, two vertical support struts 32 are also attached, which also extend to the floor 30. The opposite ends of the inclined support struts 26 and the vertical support struts 32 are connected to each other by near-floor support struts 34. The near-floor support struts 34 form a quadrilateral that rests on the floor 30. In addition, a further support strut 24 is arranged between the two vertical support struts 32, between the near-floor support strut 34 and the uppermost cross strut connected to the retention chamber 22.

[0059] In this example, the retention chamber 22 projects slightly beyond the vertical support struts 32 along the longitudinal direction L.

[0060] The gas bag 12 is in flow connection with a gas generator 38, which supplies filling gas for the gas bag 12. The total filling volume of the gas bag 12 can be, for example, approximately 30 l.

[0061] When not activated, the gas bag 12 and the gas generator 38 are arranged on the floor 30 of the vehicle. For example, they are concealed in a recess in the floor (not shown) that accommodates a gas bag module containing the gas generator 38 and the folded gas bag 12.

[0062] The gas bag 12 is fixed to the floor 30, for example via brackets 40 at the ends of the inclined support struts 26 and the vertical support struts 32 near the floor, which are connected to corresponding support structures (not shown) on the floor 30.

[0063] Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the gas bag 12. Here, in contrast to the first embodiment, the retention chamber 22 is arranged above the two vertical support struts 32 in vertical direction V, aligned with them, while the central support strut 24 is omitted. Thus, the two vertical support struts 32 and the retention chamber 22 form a kind of gate, which is delimited at the rear by the two diagonally extending support struts 26. Furthermore, the two support struts 34 extending near the ground in the longitudinal direction L are connected to one another by a non-inflatable retaining strap 41.

[0064] In this embodiment, two gas generators 38 are used, which are arranged here in the region of the support struts 34 near the ground, in particular in the region of the longitudinal ends of the rearmost support strut 34 near the ground.

[0065] Figure 3 shows the orientation of the gas bag 12 relative to the vehicle occupant 14 in a restraint situation. The inclined support struts 26 extend from the vehicle seat 16 to the floor 30 and support the gas bag 12 on the floor 30.

[0066] If a restraint situation occurs, the gas generator 38 is activated and the gas bag 12 is inflated. The gas bag 12 unfolds from its receptacle on the floor 30 in an arc toward the vehicle occupant 14 on the vehicle seat 16, so that the restraint chamber 22 extends from above over the legs of the vehicle occupant 14. As Figure 3 shows, the restraint chamber 22 catches the legs of the vehicle occupant 14 as they swing upwards.

[0067] The support struts 34 arranged near the ground below the retention chamber 22 or the support strut 24 arranged above it in the gas bag according to Figure 1 are designed, for example, to catch the heels of the vehicle occupant 14 if necessary and to stop the vehicle occupant 14 from moving forward if the legs do not execute the movement indicated in Figure 3.

[0068] Alternatively, the gas bag 12 could be arranged in the area of ​​a vehicle-fixed structure and serve, for example, as a knee gas bag.

[0069] Figure 4 shows the blank 42, 44 of the gas bag 12 from Figure 2. With the exception of the front side 44 of the vertical support struts 32 and retention chamber 22, the blank 42 consists of a single piece of a suitable gas bag fabric.

[0070] The blank 42 is elongated and folded several times along the later longitudinal direction L to form the gas bag 12. The folded sections are partially sewn together along the longitudinal direction L, thereby forming the individual tubular chambers 18. These seams are illustrated by dashed lines in Figure 2. In this way, overflow openings between the individual tubular chambers 18 are also realized.

[0071] For example, the right-hand end 46 in Figure 4, which forms the retention chamber 22 in the finished gas bag, is folded along fold line I and connected to line II at the left-hand end 48. The remaining blank is folded again along fold lines III and IV, forming the diagonally extending support struts 26, and sewn to the end 46 in the region of fold line III.

[0072] The separate front side 44 is sewn to the ends 48, 46 to complete the vertical support struts 32 and the retention chamber 22.

[0073] In the area of ​​the fold lines III, IV, suitable darts 50 are created by appropriate seams, which define the angles between the individual tubular chambers 18 or support struts 24 and bring the inflated gas bag 12 into the desired wedge shape (see Figures 2 and 5).

[0074] The retaining strap 41 is formed by a section of the cut 42 which is not covered by another matching cut section.

[0075] Figures 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the gas bag 12 and its cut-out 42. The main difference from the second embodiment is that the obliquely extending support struts are formed by non-inflatable retaining straps 41.

[0076] Figure 6 shows the blank 42 of the gas bag 12 from Figure 5, which consists of only a single piece of fabric. As in the previous embodiment, the sections of the blank 42 are suitably shaped into the desired shape by folding them around suitable fold lines I, II, III, IV perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and sewing the individual blank sections together, which also creates the tubular chambers 18. The retaining straps 41 are formed integrally with the blank 42 and are already connected to it at their two longitudinal ends, so that no further sewing step is necessary. In this example, two blank sections lie one above the other in the area of ​​the retaining straps 41, but are not connected to form inflatable chambers. In the fourth embodiment of a vehicle occupant protection system 10 shown in Figures 7 to 10, the gas bag 112 has an additional retaining chamber 180 in addition to the retaining chamber 22.

[0077] In the fully inflated state of the gas bag 112, the additional restraint chamber 180 extends parallel to the restraint chamber 22 and directly adjacent to it below the restraint chamber 22, i.e., between the restraint chamber 22 and the floor 30. With respect to the vertical direction V and the longitudinal direction L, the additional restraint chamber 180 lies in the same plane as the restraint chamber 22 and the vertical support struts 24.

[0078] The additional restraint chamber 180, like the restraint chamber 22, acts from above on the feet and shins of the vehicle occupant 14 and catches the legs of the vehicle occupant 14 during a vehicle impact. The function of the gas bag 112 is therefore identical to that in the embodiments described above.

[0079] The additional retention chamber 180 is approximately the same length as the retention chamber 22 in relation to the vehicle transverse direction Q, and is of a similar height in relation to the vertical direction V in the fully inflated state.

[0080] Along the vehicle transverse direction Q, the additional restraint chamber 180 is firmly and permanently connected to the restraint chamber 22 over its entire inflatable area via a partition 184.

[0081] Formed in the partition 184 are a plurality of overflow openings 186 through which filling gas flows from the retention chamber 22 into the additional retention chamber 180 when the retention chamber 22 is filled. The overflow openings 186 are the only flow connection between the additional retention chamber 180 and the remaining gas bag 112, so that filling gas flows into the additional retention chamber 180 only via the retention chamber 22.

[0082] Before filling, the additional retention chamber 180 in this example is rolled up along the vertical direction V into a package 187 separate from the retention chamber 22 and secured in this rolled-up state by a holding device (not shown) provided with a weakened zone. The holding device is only released when sufficient filling gas begins to flow from the retention chamber 22 through the overflow openings 186 into the still rolled-up additional retention chamber 180.

[0083] In this example, a blank of the additional retention chamber 180 is integrated into the blank 42 of the gas bag 12 by arranging further blank sections for the partition 184 and the additional retention chamber 180 adjacent to the blank sections of the retention chamber 22, which are connected accordingly to form the additional retention chamber 180 (not shown).

[0084] In this example, the additional restraint chamber 180 is laterally connected to the vertical support struts 24 at each side edge 190 of the additional restraint chamber 180 via two fabric sections 188. The fabric sections 188 are not inflatable here. Optionally, the fabric sections 188 are not rigidly fixed to the support struts 24 so that the additional restraint chamber 180 has the least possible impact on the three-dimensional shape of the gas bag 112 in the inflated state. If necessary, the additional restraint chamber 180 is supported only on the support struts 24 via the fabric sections 188, without being attached to them.

[0085] As Figure 7 shows, additional, here obliquely extending, retaining straps 200 may be provided from the additional restraint chamber 180 to the adjacent vertical support strut 24 to stabilize the position of the additional restraint chamber 180 in the fully inflated gas bag 112. The retaining straps 200 are designed such that no significant tensile forces are transmitted to the vertical support struts 24.

[0086] The features of the individual embodiments can be freely combined or interchanged at the discretion of the person skilled in the art.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) with an airbag (12; 112) for protecting the legs of the vehicle occupant (14), which, prior to activation of the vehicle occupant protection system (10), is arranged in a folded state on a floor (30) of a vehicle in front of an associated vehicle seat (16) and which, in a restraint situation, unfolds from the floor (30) in front of the vehicle seat (16), wherein the airbag (12; 112) comprises a plurality of tubular inflatable chambers (18) which are in flow communication and which are three-dimensionally connected to one another in the inflated state, wherein a plurality of the chambers (18) form support struts (24) of the airbag (12; 112), while at least one of the chambers (18) forms a restraint chamber (22) in an upper region of the airbag (18), wherein the restraint chamber (22) in the fully inflated state of the airbag (12) is located directly in front of a shin area, a knee area or a pelvic area of ​​the vehicle occupant (14).

2. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the support struts (24) are connected to form a three-dimensional frame (20) and the retention chamber (22) forms in particular an upper cross strut of the frame (20).

3. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the retention chamber (22) has a larger diameter (di) transverse to its longitudinal extent than the support struts (24).

4. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support struts (24) are designed and arranged such that, in the inflated state of the gas bag (12; 112), there is space for the legs of the vehicle occupant (14) in the region below the retention chamber (22).

5. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas bag (12; 112) in the inflated state has at least two support struts (26) extending obliquely downwards away from the vehicle seat (16) and supporting the gas bag (12; 112) on the floor (30).

6. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one gas generator (38) is provided which supplies filling gas for the gas bag (12; 112) and which is attached to the floor (30) of the vehicle.

7. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the gas generator (38) and / or the folded gas bag (12; 112) are accommodated in a receptacle in the floor (30) of the vehicle before activation.

8. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas bag (12; 112) is tensioned via at least one retaining strap (41).

9. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas bag (12; 112) has an elongated blank (42) which can be folded several times in its longitudinal direction (L) to form fold lines running transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), wherein flat superimposed sections of the blank (42) are connected to one another such that the tubular chambers (18) are formed.

10. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an additional restraint chamber (180) is provided which, in the fully inflated state of the gas bag (112), is arranged parallel to the restraint chamber (22) and immediately adjacent to the restraint chamber (22) between the restraint chamber (22) and the floor (30) of the vehicle.

11. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 10, wherein at least one overflow opening (186) is arranged between the retention chamber (22) and the additional retention chamber (180), through which filling gas flows from the retention chamber (22) into the additional retention chamber (180).

12. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to claim 9 and one of claims 10 and 11, wherein a blank of the additional restraint chamber (180) is part of the elongated blank (42) of the gas bag (112).

13. Vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the additional retention chamber (180) is supported on the support struts (24) via lateral fabric sections (188).

14. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the additional retention chamber (180) is connected to an adjacent support strut (24) in the region of its side edges (190) via at least one respective retaining strap (200).

15. The vehicle occupant protection system (10) according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the additional retention chamber (180) is folded into a package (187) separate from the retention chamber (22) prior to its deployment.

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