Airbag apparatus, method for operating airbag apparatus, vehicle seat, and vehicle

Abstract

An airbag apparatus (2). The airbag apparatus (2) is mountable on a seat backrest (11) of a vehicle seat (1). The airbag apparatus (2) comprises: an airbag (21), configured to protect an occupant (3) located on the vehicle seat (1); and a lifting mechanism (22), at least partially arranged below a section (211) of the airbag (21), wherein the lifting mechanism (22) is configured to move from a stowed position to a lift position before and / or during deployment of the airbag (21), and to at least lift the section (211) of the airbag (21) in the process, so that during inflation and deployment of the airbag (21), at least the section (211) of the airbag (21) can pass over the top of the head of the occupant from above. The present application also relates to a method for operating the airbag apparatus, a vehicle seat, and a vehicle.

Description

Airbag devices, methods for operating airbag devices, vehicle seats and vehicles

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411719077.4, filed on November 27, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application generally relates to the technical field of vehicle safety systems. More specifically, this application relates to an airbag device, a method for operating an airbag device, a vehicle seat, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] With the development of intelligent, autonomous, or driverless technologies in automobiles, automakers have introduced zero-gravity seats to allow occupants to adopt various seating positions beyond the normal one, such as working and relaxing postures. In a working posture, the seat back can be adjusted to recline up to approximately 45 degrees; while in a relaxing posture, the seat back can be adjusted to recline to 60 degrees or even greater. However, in the event of an unavoidable collision, existing technologies or traditional vehicle safety systems are insufficient to protect occupants in working or relaxing postures, and may even exacerbate injuries.

[0004] To achieve effective safety protection for occupants, particularly those in working or relaxing sitting positions, an airbag protection device installed in the vehicle seat is proposed. This airbag would provide effective protection for occupants in a collision, reducing injury, whether they are in a working (e.g., semi-reclined, upright) or relaxing (e.g., fully reclined) position. Such an airbag protection device can be installed on the seat back and deploy upon impact, specifically extending forward from the seat back past the occupant's head to protect the occupant. Such airbag protection devices are known, for example, from the applicant's own CN117284234A, CN117841894A, and CN117622040A.

[0005] However, there may be problems when equipping existing vehicle seat systems with such airbag protection devices. On the one hand, the structure of existing vehicle seats may not be well adapted to such airbag protection devices; on the other hand, there are challenges in the overall shape of the vehicle seat, especially in terms of seat height, when placing such airbag protection devices on vehicle seats.

[0006] Therefore, a solution that can address the above problems is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide an airbag device, a method for operating an airbag device, a vehicle seat, and a vehicle that overcomes at least one deficiency in the prior art, thereby enabling the smooth deployment of the airbag while satisfying the overall shape and size requirements of the vehicle seat as much as possible.

[0008] According to a first aspect of this application, an airbag device is provided, which can be mounted on the seat back of a vehicle seat. The airbag device includes: an airbag configured to protect an occupant located in the vehicle seat; and a lifting mechanism at least partially disposed below a portion of the airbag, the lifting mechanism being configured to move from a retracted position to an lifted position before and / or during airbag deployment, thereby lifting at least the portion of the airbag, such that during the inflation and deployment of the airbag, at least the portion of the airbag can pass over the occupant's head.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting mechanism includes a lifter and a lifting member, the lifter being configured to cause the lifting member to move from a retracted position to a raised position, and the lifting member being configured to apply force to the portion of the airbag and lift the airbag during the movement from the retracted position to the raised position.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting member has an action surface for the portion of the airbag, wherein, in the lifted position, the free edge of the action surface is not lower than the upper edge of the seat back of the vehicle seat.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this application, the free edge of the action surface is not lower than the top of the head of a 95% dummy sitting in the vehicle seat.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting member has a guide surface for the portion of the airbag, the guide surface forming an emission angle for the portion of the airbag, the emission angle forming an angle of 20° to 45°, preferably 25° to 40°, with respect to the main extension direction of the seat back.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifter can be fixed to a vehicle seat, particularly the seat back.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting device can operate in a pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical or electromagnetic manner.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting device includes an outer casing tube, a piston rod cooperating with the outer casing tube, and a gas generator. The piston rod has a piston end located inside the outer casing tube and a free end opposite to the piston end. The free end is fixedly connected to the lifting member. Gas from the gas generator can fill the gas chamber between the piston end of the piston rod and the outer casing tube to cause the piston rod to move along the outer casing tube and realize the movement of the lifting member from the retracted position to the lifted position.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this application, the free end of the piston rod is connected to the lifting member in a form-locked, force-locked, and / or material-locked manner.

[0017] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting mechanism includes a connecting bracket, and the free end of the piston rod is fixedly connected to the lifting member through the connecting bracket.

[0018] According to one embodiment of this application, the connecting bracket is welded, bonded, and / or threaded to the free end of the piston rod and the lifting member, respectively.

[0019] According to one embodiment of this application, the outer casing tube can be connected to the vehicle seat, particularly the seat back, in a form-locking, force-locking, and / or material-locking manner.

[0020] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting mechanism includes a support plate, the support plate being configured to fix the outer shell tube to the frame of the vehicle seat.

[0021] According to one embodiment of this application, the support plate is welded, bonded, and / or threaded to the outer shell tube and the frame of the vehicle seat, respectively.

[0022] According to one embodiment of this application, the piston rod includes a channel extending longitudinally from the piston end, one end of the channel being closed and the other end open, the channel being configured to regulate the pressure profile of gas from a gas generator acting on the piston rod. In some embodiments, the channel may be configured, for example, as a blind orifice.

[0023] According to one embodiment of this application, the airbag device includes an airbag guide assembly configured to at least partially accommodate the airbag.

[0024] According to one embodiment of this application, the airbag guide assembly has a receiving groove for the airbag, the receiving groove having a curved and / or bent cross-section, such as a C-shaped, U-shaped, or V-shaped cross-section. The C-shaped cross-section may, for example, include an arcuate or... The cross-section of the shape.

[0025] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting member constitutes the airbag guiding assembly.

[0026] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifting member constitutes part of the airbag guiding assembly, and the airbag guiding assembly further includes a guide member separate from the lifting member, the guide member being configured to be mounted on the seat back of a vehicle seat and to accommodate a portion of the airbag.

[0027] According to one embodiment of this application, the guide has an elongated extension that at least partially follows the side edge of the seat back of the vehicle seat.

[0028] According to one embodiment of this application, the airbag guiding assembly includes two guide members, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the lifting member.

[0029] According to one embodiment of this application, the lifter is fixedly connected to the guide and can be held on the seat back of the vehicle seat via the guide.

[0030] According to one embodiment of this application, the airbag device includes an airbag tensioning band and an airbag tensioner for the airbag.

[0031] According to a second aspect of this application, a method for operating an airbag device according to a first aspect of this application is provided, the method comprising: triggering movement of a lifting mechanism from a retracted position to a raised position upon detection of a collision; and triggering deployment of the airbag after triggering the lifting mechanism.

[0032] According to one embodiment of this application, the method further includes: after the airbag is triggered, triggering the airbag pretensioner to tighten the airbag pretensioner strap.

[0033] According to a third aspect of this application, a vehicle seat is provided, wherein the vehicle seat includes an airbag device according to a first aspect of this application.

[0034] According to one embodiment of this application, the airbag device is disposed between the frame of the seat back and the seat back foam.

[0035] According to a fourth aspect of this application, a vehicle is provided, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle seat as described in a third aspect of this application.

[0036] According to one embodiment of this application, the vehicle includes a control device for implementing the method described in accordance with the second aspect of this application.

[0037] Other features of this application are derived from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description. All features and combinations thereof mentioned above in the specification, as well as features and combinations thereof mentioned below in the detailed description and / or shown separately in the drawings, can be used not only in the combinations given therefor, but also in other combinations, or in their individual states. Attached Figure Description

[0038] A better understanding of various aspects of this application will be achieved by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] Figures 1 and 2 schematically illustrate airbag devices according to some embodiments of this application, wherein the airbag is not shown;

[0040] Figure 3 schematically illustrates the operation of an airbag device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an assembly diagram of the lifting mechanism of an airbag device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 5 schematically shows an exploded view of the lifter of an airbag device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 6 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the jack in Figure 5, with the piston rod not extended;

[0044] Figure 7 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the jack in Figure 5, with the piston rod pushed out to its limit position;

[0045] Figure 8 schematically illustrates a flowchart of a method for operating an airbag device according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The present application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present application. However, it should be understood that the present application can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure of the present application more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present application to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide more additional embodiments.

[0047] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail.

[0048] Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0049] When a component is described in the specification as being "on", "attached" to, "connected" to, "joined" to, or "in contact" with another component, the component may be directly located on, attached to, connected to, joined to, or in contact with the other component, or there may be an intermediate component present.

[0050] In the specification, spatial relation terms such as "above," "below," "front," "back," "top," and "bottom" describe the relationship between one feature and another in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that spatial relation terms include not only the orientation shown in the drawings but also the different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, when the device in the drawings is inverted, a feature previously described as "below" other features can now be described as "above" other features. The device can also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), in which case the relative spatial relationships will be interpreted accordingly.

[0051] Figures 1 and 2 schematically illustrate an airbag device 2 according to some embodiments of this application, which can be installed on a vehicle seat 1, particularly the seat back 11. For clarity, only a portion of the seat back 11 is shown in Figures 1 and 2, particularly the headrest 12 and part of the frame 13. The airbag device 2 may, for example, be disposed between the frame 13 of the seat back 11 and the foam of the seat back 11 and may be covered by the seat upholstery.

[0052] The airbag device 2 includes an airbag 21 (see Figure 3) configured to protect an occupant 3 located in a vehicle seat 1. Such an airbag 21 can be positioned on the seat back 11 of the vehicle seat 1 and is normally in a compressed or folded state. For example, in the event of a collision, the airbag 21 can inflate forward from the seat back 11 to protect the occupant 3, as can be seen in Figure 3. The airbag 21 can be coupled with a gas generator (not shown). For example, when a vehicle collides, such as a frontal or side collision, the gas generator can be triggered according to an ignition strategy and command, and the compressed or folded airbag 21 can be inflated and deployed by the gas generator. Here, the airbag 21 can, for example, puncture the covering fabric of the vehicle seat 1 and deploy forward from behind the occupant 3 located in the vehicle seat 1 to protect the occupant 3. Typically, the gas generator can be a pyrotechnic gas generator.

[0053] Within the scope of this application, the term "occupant" can include the driver and other occupants besides the driver. Within the scope of this application, a vehicle seat can be a seat for the driver in a vehicle and / or a seat for other occupants besides the driver.

[0054] Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 4, the airbag device 2 also includes a lifting mechanism 22, which is at least partially disposed below a portion 211 of the airbag 21 (see Figure 3). The middle section of Figure 3 schematically outlines the possible area of ​​said portion 211 of the airbag 21 with dashed lines. During the deployment of the airbag 21, said portion 211 of the airbag 21 needs to pass over the head 31 of the occupant 3 located in the vehicle seat 1. Exemplarily, this portion 211 of the airbag 21 may be an airbag portion 212 located above the head 21 of the occupant 3 after deployment (see the right section of Figure 3). This portion 211 may also be, for example, part of a so-called "chest airbag," which, after deployment, may be located, for example, in front of the occupant 3. It is understandable that in order to ensure the reliable operation of the airbag 21, it is particularly important to ensure the smooth deployment of the airbag 21, especially the smooth deployment of the aforementioned section 211 of the airbag 21.

[0055] Therefore, in this application, the lifting mechanism 22 is configured to move from the retracted position (FIG. 1) to the lifted position (FIG. 2) before and / or during the deployment of the airbag 21, and in the process at least lift the portion 211 of the airbag 21, such that during the inflation and deployment of the airbag 21, at least the portion 211 of the airbag 21 can pass over the head 31 of the occupant 3 from above.

[0056] The lifting mechanism 22's lifting movement from the retracted position to the raised position can occur simultaneously with or before the deployment of the airbag 21. Specifically, the lifting movement can begin, for example, at the same time as the gas generator for the airbag 21 is triggered, or it can begin, for example, before the gas generator for the airbag 21 is triggered. The lifting movement can end when the airbag 21 has begun to deploy but has not fully deployed. At this time, the lifting mechanism 22 may have already moved to the raised position, but the airbag 21 has not yet deployed to the head 31 of the occupant 3. Thus, the lifting mechanism 22 can assist in the smooth deployment of the airbag 21, especially the aforementioned section 211 of the airbag 21.

[0057] For example, in the design position of vehicle seat 1 (where the seat back 11 of vehicle seat 1 is tilted back by, for example, up to approximately 25 degrees), the height of the lifting mechanism 22 as a whole in the folded position (e.g., the height corresponding to the highest point of the lifting mechanism 22) can be lower than the height of the lifting mechanism 22 in the raised position. Advantageously, as shown in FIG1, in the folded position, the lifting mechanism 22 as a whole can not extend beyond the upper edge of the seat back 11 at least in the vertical direction. For example, for vehicle seat 1 with an integrated headrest, the upper edge of the seat back 11 can be understood as the highest outer edge of the seat back 11 itself. And for example, for vehicle seat 1 with a height-adjustable split headrest 12, the upper edge of the seat back 11 can be understood as the upper edge 121 of the split headrest 12, as can be seen in FIG1 and FIG2. In particular, for vehicle seat 1 with a split headrest 12, it is advantageous that in the folded position, the lifting mechanism 22 as a whole is lower than the upper edge of the split headrest 12 at the lowest adjustment height. Therefore, even with the airbag device 2 installed, the appearance design of the vehicle seat 1, especially the seat back 11, can be less affected by the airbag device 2, allowing for greater consideration of the aesthetics and comfort of the vehicle seat 1 itself. In particular, since the seat back 11 does not need to provide the necessary height for the airbag 21 to deploy smoothly, the seat back 11 itself can have a lower height and a more refined shape, which is beneficial to the overall aesthetics of the vehicle's interior. When the vehicle seat 1 is the front seat, the lower seat back 11 height also benefits the rear passenger experience, as their visibility will be less affected by the height of the front seat. Furthermore, in the event of a collision, as shown in Figure 3, the lifting mechanism 22 can move from the retracted position (left figure) to the raised position (middle figure) before and / or during airbag 21 deployment. The increased height of the lifting mechanism 22 in the raised position relative to the retracted position helps the airbag 21 smoothly pass over the head 31 of the occupant 3.

[0058] By implementing the technical solution of this application, on the one hand, the aesthetic requirements of the vehicle interior design can be met and the riding experience can be maintained during normal vehicle operation; on the other hand, the airbags installed in the vehicle seats can function correctly when the vehicle is involved in a collision, thereby achieving a balance between the two aspects.

[0059] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an assembly diagram of the lifting mechanism 22 of an airbag device 2 according to some embodiments of this application. The lifting mechanism 22 may include a lifter 23 and a lifting member 24. The lifter 23 may be configured to cause movement of the lifting member 24 from a retracted position to a raised position. The lifter 23 may be directly or indirectly fixed to the vehicle seat 1, particularly the seat back 11. This will be described in more detail later. The lifting member 24 may be configured to act on and at least lift the portion 211 of the airbag 21 during the movement from the retracted position to the raised position. Here, "at least lift the portion 211" can be understood as meaning that, due to the act on and lifting of the portion 211, for example, the area of ​​the airbag 21 connected to the portion 211 (if present), or even the airbag 21 as a whole, may be correspondingly pulled and lifted to a certain extent. The lifting device 23 can be any mechanism capable of performing the aforementioned lifting motion, such as pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, and / or electromagnetic movements. The lifting motion is preferably linear.

[0060] An embodiment of a lifter 23 is described below with reference to Figures 5 to 7. The lifter 23 can be constructed based on a piston actuator. The lifter 23 may include a housing tube 231 and a piston rod 232 cooperating with the housing tube 231. The piston rod 232 has a piston end 320 located within the housing tube 231 and a free end 321 opposite to the piston end 320. The free end 321 can be fixedly connected to the lifting member 24, for example, by form-locking, force-locking, and / or material-locking. The piston rod 232 is movable along the housing tube 231 to achieve the lifting movement of the lifting member 24.

[0061] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the lifting mechanism 22 may include a connecting bracket 25, through which the free end 321 of the piston rod 232 (not visible in FIG4) can be fixedly connected to the lifting member 24. The connecting bracket 25 may be connected to the free end 321 of the piston rod 232 and the lifting member 24, for example by welding, bonding and / or threading. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting bracket 25 may include a first connecting surface 251 for connecting to the free end 321 of the piston rod 232, the first connecting surface 251 having a first connecting hole 252. A first fixing bolt 26 may pass through the first connecting hole 252 and the free end 321 of the piston rod 232 to fix the connecting bracket 25 and the piston rod 232 to each other. Furthermore, the connecting bracket 25 may have a second connecting surface 253 on each side of the first connecting surface 251, raised relative to the first connecting surface 251, each second connecting surface 253 being connected to the first connecting surface 251 by means of a corresponding tab, thereby creating a saddle-shaped connecting bracket 25. Each of the second connecting surfaces 253 may have a second connecting hole 254, and the second fixing bolt 27 may pass through the second connecting hole 254 and the lifting member 24 to fix them together.

[0062] In some embodiments, the lifter 23 may be connected to the vehicle seat 1, particularly the seat back 11, in a form-locking, force-locking, and / or material-locking manner.

[0063] In the embodiment shown in FIG4, the lifting mechanism 22 may include a support plate 28, which may be configured to secure the housing tube 231 of the lifter 23 to the frame 14 of the vehicle seat 1, particularly the seat back 11. Only a portion of the frame 14 of the seat back 11 is schematically shown in FIG4; for clarity, this portion is not shown in FIG1 and FIG2. The support plate 28 may be welded, bonded, and / or threaded to, for example, the housing tube 231 and the frame 14 of the seat back 11, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the support plate 28 may be configured as substantially U-shaped, and a connecting hole 282 may be provided on the bottom surface 281 of the support plate 28, through which a third fixing bolt 29 can pass to secure the support plate 28 to the frame 14 of the seat back 11. Furthermore, the support plate 28 may have two substantially parallel legs 283 extending from the bottom surface 281, each leg 283 having a through hole for the housing tube 231 to pass through, thereby holding the housing tube 231 in place. For this purpose, the housing tube 231 may be, for example, glued or welded to the legs 283.

[0064] When mounted on the seat back 11, the housing tube 231 is preferably arranged substantially parallel to the main extension direction of the seat back 11 (see Figures 1 and 2), thereby enabling a compact lifting movement path that is particularly suitable for the needs. The main extension direction of the seat back 11 can substantially correspond to the adjustment angle of the seat back 11. For example, in the design position of the vehicle seat 1, i.e., when the occupant is in a normal sitting posture, the seat back 11 and its main extension direction can be tilted back, for example, by about 25° relative to the vertical direction. When the occupant is in a working sitting posture, the seat back 11 and its main extension direction can be tilted back, for example, by about 45° relative to the vertical direction. And when the occupant is in a leisure sitting posture, the seat back 11 and its main extension direction can be tilted back, for example, by 60° or even greater relative to the vertical direction.

[0065] Referring again to Figures 5 through 7, the lifter 23 may include a gas generator 233 to actuate the piston rod 232. A wiring harness 237 for the gas generator 233 is also visible in Figure 5. Gas from the gas generator 233 fills the gas chamber 322 (see Figure 7) between the piston end 320 of the piston rod 232 and the housing tube 231, causing the piston rod 232 to move along the housing tube 231. Using the gas generator 233 as a power source allows for the rapid actuation of the piston rod 232 and the rapid movement of the lifter 24 to the raised position. This is particularly relevant to the extremely short time window required for airbag deployment during a vehicle collision.

[0066] In some embodiments, the wiring harness 237 of the gas generator 233 may be connected to the vehicle's control unit, for example, along with the gas generator for the airbag 21. The trigger command for the gas generator for the airbag 21 can also be used for the gas generator 233, so that the gas generator 233 can be triggered simultaneously with the gas generator for the airbag 21. The lifting movement achieved by means of the gas generator 233 can be completed in just a few milliseconds, while the airbag 21 may not yet have deployed to the head 31 of the occupant 3. In other embodiments, the gas generator 233 may also be triggered before the gas generator for the airbag 21. If the response and action speed of the lifter 23 is fast enough, it may also be feasible to trigger the gas generator 233 after the gas generator for the airbag 21.

[0067] In addition, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, in order to ensure the airtightness of the gas chamber 322, the lifter 23 may include a first sealing ring 234 disposed between the piston rod 232 and the outer casing tube 231 and a second sealing ring 235 disposed between the gas generator 233 and the outer casing tube 231.

[0068] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the lifter 23 may further include a guide sleeve 238 mounted on the end of the housing tube 231 opposite to the gas generator 233. The guide sleeve 238 may have an annular shape and its inner diameter may be smaller than the inner diameter of the housing tube 231. As shown in Figure 7, the end side 240 of the guide sleeve 238 facing the gas generator 233 may serve as a stop for the piston rod 232 to limit the extreme positions of the piston rod 232 and limit the stroke of the lifting movement. Specifically, the piston rod 232 may have a piston body 323 defining a piston end 320 and a rod portion 324 connected to the piston body 323. The maximum outer diameter of the piston body 323 may substantially correspond to the inner diameter of the housing tube 231, while the outer diameter of the rod portion 324 may be smaller than that of the piston body 323 and substantially correspond to the inner ring size of the guide sleeve 238. Thus, the rod portion 324 can pass through the guide sleeve 238, while the piston body 32 will be blocked by the guide sleeve 238. As can be most clearly seen in the enlarged view in Figure 7, when the piston 232 moves upwards as shown in the figure, the transition between the piston body 323 and the rod 324 can interact with the end side 240 of the guide sleeve 238 and prevent the piston rod 232 from continuing to move. If, as shown in Figure 6, the piston rod 232 rests against the gas generator 233 with its piston end 320 when it is not in motion, then the stroke L1 of the piston rod 232 can be, for example, as shown in Figure 7. The stroke L1 of the piston rod 232 can correspond to the distance between the retracted position (Figure 1) and the raised position (Figure 2) of the lifting mechanism 22.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, the lifting device 23 may also include a fastener 239, which can be externally fitted onto the end side of the guide sleeve 238 and the outer casing tube 231. When not in operation, the piston rod 232 can be entirely contained within the outer casing tube 231, and the end side of the outer casing tube 231 can be sealed by the fastener 239 to prevent foreign objects from entering. When the gas generator 233 is triggered, the piston rod 232, particularly its rod portion 324, can break through the fastener 239 and move out of the outer casing tube 231.

[0070] Referring again to Figures 6 and 7, the piston rod 232 may have a channel 326 extending longitudinally from its piston end 320, with one end closed and the other open. This channel may have a suitable geometry to selectively adjust the pressure profile of the gas from the gas generator 233 acting on the piston rod 232. The channel 326 may be configured, for example, as a blind hole, or, for example, a stepped hole.

[0071] The gas generator 233 is an alternative, but other power sources, such as motors or hydraulic cylinders, can also be considered, as long as they can meet the requirement of quickly bringing the lifting member 24 to the lifting position. Furthermore, any other configuration of the lifting device 23 can be considered, as long as it can achieve the desired lifting motion.

[0072] The lifting member 24 can be any component suitable for applying force to the airbag 21, particularly the portion 211. In some embodiments, the lifting member 24 can exist, for example, as a profile, sheet metal, or injection-molded part. The lifting member 24 can have a substantially C-shaped, U-shaped, or V-shaped cross-section. However, in some cases, a flat-plate construction of the lifting member 24 can also be feasible, as long as the lifting member 24 can suitably apply a lifting force to the airbag 21 without damaging the airbag 21. In the embodiments shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the lifting member 24 can have an action surface 241 for the portion 211 of the airbag 21, which can apply force to the portion 211 of the airbag 21 during lifting. Here, the working surface 241 may have a substantially U-shaped shape and thus include a substantially vertical first section 242, a relatively horizontal first section 243 connected to the first section 242, and an inclined third section 244 connected to the second section 243.

[0073] As shown in Figure 2, in the raised position, the free edge 245 (i.e., its foremost edge) of the action surface 241 can be no lower than the upper edge 121 of the vehicle seat 1. This advantageously ensures that the portion 211 of the airbag 21 can extend beyond the upper edge 121 of the vehicle seat 1.

[0074] Alternatively or additionally, the free edge 245 of the action surface 241 may be no lower than the top of the head of a 95% dummy sitting in the vehicle seat 1. Specifically, at least when the seat back 11 of the vehicle seat 1 is substantially upright, or in the designed position of the vehicle seat 1, in the raised position of the lifting mechanism 22, the height of the free edge 245 of the action surface 241 in the vertical direction may be greater than or equal to the height of the top of the head of a 95% dummy sitting in the vehicle seat 1. This is beneficial for the protection of the vast majority of occupants, especially for occupants who are larger in stature or have a higher sitting height (e.g., whose stature corresponds substantially to a 95% dummy), because for such occupants, the risk of obstruction or even injury to the airbag 21 during deployment may be relatively high.

[0075] It is understandable that the height of the lifting member 24, particularly its free edge 245, in the raised position can be related to the installation position of the lifting mechanism 22 on the vehicle seat 1, the lifting stroke of the lifting mechanism 22, the height of the seat back 11, particularly the height of the upper edge 121 of the seat back 11, and the sitting height of the 95% dummy. Therefore, the above parameters can be selected and matched in a targeted manner to achieve the desired raised position.

[0076] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, for example, the third segment 244 of the lifter 24 can form a guide surface for the portion 211 of the airbag 21, which can form a launch angle for the portion 211 of the airbag 21. Advantageously, the launch angle can be an angle of 20° to 45°, preferably 25° to 40°, with respect to the main extension direction of the seat back 11. The guide surface can be understood as the area where the lifter 24 comes into contact or exerts force on the deploying airbag 21. This area can be the area in the deployment path of the airbag 21 where the fabric of the airbag 21 last contacts the lifter 24 before leaving it. This area is the third segment 244 of the lifter 24 adjacent to its free edge 245 in Figures 1, 2, and 4. The guide surface helps the airbag 21, particularly its portion 211, to form a certain launch angle so that it can deploy smoothly and pass over the occupant's head.

[0077] Based on this, it can be understood that in the raised position, the free edge 245 of the action surface 241 is not necessarily required to be higher than the upper edge 121 of the vehicle seat 1 or the top of the head of a dummy sitting on the vehicle seat 1. For example, the airbag 21 can still deploy without problems if a suitable launch angle is present.

[0078] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the airbag device 2 may include an airbag guide assembly 4, which may be configured to at least partially accommodate the airbag 21. The airbag guide assembly 4 may be used to hold the airbag 21 on the seat back 11.

[0079] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2, the airbag guiding assembly 4 may include guides 41, specifically two guides 41, which can be mounted on the seat back 11. To accommodate the airbag 21, the guides 41 may have receiving slots 25 for the airbag 21. The receiving slots 25 may, for example, have a C-shaped, U-shaped, or V-shaped cross-section. Obviously, the lifter 24 with a substantially U-shaped cross-section shown in Figures 1 and 2 may also be present as part of the airbag guiding assembly 4, and the curved shape of the lifter 24 may also form the receiving slots 25 for the airbag 21. When the airbag 21 is positioned in the respective receiving slots 25, the airbag 21 may bridge the interruption region located between the lifter 24 and the corresponding guide 41. In some cases, the airbag 21 may also have certain folds or pleats, for example, in the interruption region and / or in the region of the lifter 24, so that the lifter 24 can be lifted without problems. Advantageously, the guide 41 can have a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as that of the lifting member 24 shown in the figure. Thus, similar to the lifting member 24, the guide 41 can also have a guiding surface 42, which can also form a certain launch angle, thereby facilitating the deployment of the airbag 21 from rear to front to some extent.

[0080] Advantageously, the guide 41 may have an elongated extension that at least partially follows the side edge of the seat back 11. The elongated shape of the guide 41 may be related, for example, to the shape of the seat back 11, the configuration of the airbag 21, and the desired installation position of the airbag 21 on the seat back 11.

[0081] In other embodiments, the airbag guiding assembly 4 may include only a guide 41 on one side. This can be applied, for example, to airbags 21 that only need to be positioned in the upper edge region and one side edge region of the seat back 11. In still other embodiments, the airbag guiding assembly 4 may even consist only of the lifting member 24 without the guide 41. This can be applied, for example, to airbags 21 that only need to be positioned in the upper edge region of the vehicle seat 1.

[0082] In an alternative embodiment where the lifting mechanism 22 is directly mounted on the seat back 11, the lifting mechanism 22, particularly its lifter 23, can also be fixedly connected to the guide 41 and indirectly held on the seat back 11 via the guide 41, provided that the guide 41 is present.

[0083] In some embodiments, the airbag device 2 may be equipped with an airbag pretensioner and an airbag intensifier (not shown) for the airbag 21. The airbag intensifier may be configured to adjust and define the position of at least a portion of the airbag 21 relative to the occupant by tightening the airbag pretensioner. For example, the airbag intensifier may pull the chest airbag portion of the airbag 21 to the occupant's chest by tightening the airbag pretensioner. Specific constructions and implementations of such airbag pretensioners and airbag intensifiers can be found, for example, in the patent applications mentioned in the background section, and therefore will not be repeated here.

[0084] Figure 8 shows a flowchart of a method 300 for operating an airbag device 2 according to some embodiments of this application. Method 300 may begin at step S0: during vehicle operation, for example, a collision is detected by the vehicle's ECU. In this case, the movement of the lifting mechanism 22 from a retracted position to a raised position can be triggered in step S1. After a period of time following step S1 (i.e., the delay in step S2), the deployment of the airbag 21, particularly the inflator for the airbag 21, can be triggered in step S3. This period of time, or the delay in step S2, can be selected as needed so that when the airbag 21 is triggered in step S3, the lifting mechanism 22 has reached the raised position or has not yet reached the raised position. By triggering the lifting movement of the lifting mechanism 22 first, and then triggering the deployment of the airbag 21, it is beneficial to assist the smooth deployment of the airbag 21 with the help of the lifting mechanism 22.

[0085] In some embodiments, particularly where the airbag device 2 includes an airbag pretensioner and an airbag pretensioner for the airbag 21, the airbag pretensioner can be triggered in step S5 to tighten the airbag pretensioner after a period of time following step S3 (i.e., the delay in step S4). Here, the period of time, or the delay in step S4, can be selected as needed such that when the airbag pretensioner is triggered in step S5, the airbag 21 has already deployed to a certain extent, particularly the portion of the airbag 21 that needs to be tightened by the airbag pretensioner (e.g., the chest airbag portion) has passed over the occupant's head.

[0086] Method 300 can end in step S6, where the airbag device 2 has been triggered and deployed and is in a state that can protect the occupants.

[0087] The vehicle may include control devices for implementing method 300, such as a vehicle ECU for recognizing a collision. Steps S1 to S5 can be implemented, for example, by means of the airbag ECU provided to the airbag device 2. Specifically, in step S1, the airbag ECU may send a corresponding trigger signal to the lifting mechanism 22 (particularly the lifter 23), in response to which the lifting mechanism 22 may begin lifting movement. After a period of time, in step S3, the airbag ECU may send a corresponding ignition signal to the airbag 21 (particularly its gas generator), in response to which the gas generator of the airbag 21 may be triggered and begin filling the airbag with gas. After a period of time, if an airbag pretensioner is provided, the airbag ECU may send a corresponding trigger signal to the airbag pretensioner in step S5, in response to which the airbag pretensioner may begin to operate and tighten the airbag pretensioner straps.

[0088] Furthermore, it is understood that the configuration of the control device of the vehicle for implementing method 300 can be diverse. For example, method 300 can be implemented entirely by the vehicle ECU, or some steps of method 300, particularly at least one of steps S1, S3 and S5, can be implemented by the vehicle ECU.

[0089] Exemplary embodiments according to this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. All changes and modifications are included within the scope of protection of this application as defined by the claims. This application is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of those claims are also included.

Claims

1. An airbag device, wherein the airbag device can be installed on the seat back of a vehicle seat, characterized in that, The airbag device includes: Airbags, the airbag configuration being designed to protect occupants located in vehicle seats; and A lifting mechanism, at least partially disposed below a portion of the airbag, is configured to move from a retracted position to a lifted position before and / or during airbag deployment, and in the process lift at least the portion of the airbag, such that during the inflation and deployment of the airbag, at least the portion of the airbag can pass over the occupant's head from above.

2. The airbag device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a lifter and a lifting member. The lifter is configured to cause the lifting member to move from a retracted position to a raised position, and the lifting member is configured to apply force to the portion of the airbag and lift the airbag during the movement from the retracted position to the raised position.

3. The airbag device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lifting member has an action surface for the portion of the airbag, wherein, in the lifted position, the free edge of the action surface is not lower than the upper edge of the seat back of the vehicle seat, and / or the free edge of the action surface is not lower than the top of the head of a 95% dummy sitting in the vehicle seat.

4. The airbag device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The lifting member has a guide surface for the portion of the airbag, the guide surface forming an emission angle for the portion of the airbag, the emission angle being an angle of 20° to 45°, preferably 25° to 40°, with respect to the main extension direction of the seat back.

5. The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The lifter can be fixed to a vehicle seat, particularly the seat back, and / or the lifter can operate pneumatically, hydraulically, mechanically, or electromagnetically.

6. The airbag device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The lifting device includes an outer casing tube, a piston rod that cooperates with the outer casing tube, and a gas generator. The piston rod has a piston end located inside the outer casing tube and a free end opposite to the piston end. The free end is fixedly connected to the lifting member. Gas from the gas generator can fill the gas chamber between the piston end of the piston rod and the outer casing tube to cause the piston rod to move along the outer casing tube and realize the movement of the lifting member from the retracted position to the raised position.

7. The airbag device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The free end of the piston rod is connected to the lifting member in a form-locked, force-locked, and / or material-locked manner.

8. The airbag device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a connecting bracket, and the free end of the piston rod is fixedly connected to the lifting component through the connecting bracket.

9. The airbag device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The connecting brackets are welded, bonded, and / or threaded to the free end of the piston rod and the lifting member, respectively.

10. The airbag device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, The outer casing tube can be connected to the vehicle seat, particularly the seat back, in a form-locking, force-locking, and / or material-locking manner.

11. The airbag device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a support plate configured to secure the outer casing tube to the frame of the vehicle seat.

12. The airbag device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The support plate is welded, bonded, and / or threaded to the outer shell tube and the frame of the vehicle seat, respectively.

13. The airbag device according to any one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that, The piston rod includes a channel extending longitudinally from the piston end, one end of the channel being closed and the other end being open, the channel being configured to regulate the pressure curve of gas from the gas generator acting on the piston rod.

14. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, The airbag device includes an airbag guide assembly configured to at least partially accommodate the airbag.

15. The airbag device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The airbag guide assembly has a receiving groove for the airbag, the receiving groove having a curved and / or bent cross-section, such as a C-shaped, U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section.

16. The airbag device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The lifting component constitutes the airbag guiding assembly.

17. The airbag device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The lifting member forms part of the airbag guiding assembly, which also includes a guide member separate from the lifting member, the guide member being configured to be mounted on the seat back of a vehicle seat and to accommodate a portion of the airbag.

18. The airbag device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The guide has an elongated extension that at least partially follows the side edge of the seat back of the vehicle seat.

19. The airbag device according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, The airbag guiding assembly includes two guide members, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the lifting member.

20. The airbag device according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that, The lifter is fixedly connected to the guide and can be held on the seat back of the vehicle seat via the guide.

21. The airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that, The airbag device includes an airbag tensioner and an airbag tensioner for the airbag.

22. A method for operating an airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that, The method includes: Upon detecting a collision, the lifting mechanism is triggered to move from the retracted position to the raised position; and After the lifting mechanism is triggered, the airbags are deployed.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the airbag is deployed, the airbag intensifier is activated to tighten the airbag intensifier straps.

24. A vehicle seat, characterized in that, The vehicle seat includes an airbag device according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

25. The vehicle seat according to claim 24, characterized in that, The airbag device is positioned between the seat back frame and the seat back foam.

26. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a vehicle seat as described in claim 22 or 23.

27. The vehicle according to claim 26, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a control device for implementing the method according to claim 22 or 23.

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