LATERAL AIRBAG, VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAVING A SEAT-INTEGRATED AIRBAG MODULE AND VEHICLE SEAT HAVING A SEAT-INTEGRATED AIRBAG MODULE

Abstract

The invention describes a side airbag (2) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) provided to be mounted on a vehicle seat (4) and having at least one fabric cut (6, 7) and one gas cushion (8), wherein the side airbag (2) includes at least three fastening points (12, 14, 16) for mounting on the vehicle seat (4), in particular on a vehicle seat frame, wherein at least a first fastening point (12) and a second fastening point (14) are arranged in the at least one fabric cut (6, 7), wherein the first and second fastening points (12, 14) are arranged, in a condition mounted on the vehicle seat (4), in an upper area of the side airbag (2) and in a vehicle seat transverse direction (Q) are arranged at a distance (a) from each other. The invention also describes a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30) and a vehicle seat (4) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30) each of which comprises a side airbag (2) of this type.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A side airbag (2) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) provided to be mounted on a vehicle seat (4) and including at least one fabric cut (6, 7) and one gas cushion (8), wherein the side airbag (2) includes at least three fastening points (12, 14, 16) for mounting the side airbag (2) on the vehicle seat (4), in particular on a vehicle seat frame, wherein at least a first fastening point (12) and a second fastening point (14) are arranged in the at least one fabric cut (6, 7), wherein the first and second fastening points (12, 14) are arranged, in a condition mounted on the vehicle seat (4), in an upper area of the side airbag (2) and in a vehicle seat transverse direction (Q) are arranged at a distance (a) from each other.

14. The side airbag (2) according to claim 13, wherein the distance (a) in the vehicle seat transverse direction (Q) between the first fastening point (12) and the second fastening point (14) is no less than 100 mm.

15. The side airbag (2) according to claim 13, wherein the first and/or second fastening point(s) (12, 14) is/are arranged in a vehicle seat longitudinal direction (L) at a longitudinal distance (b, b′, b.sub.1, b.sub.2) behind a rear edge (20) of the gas cushion (8).

16. The side airbag (2) according to claim 15, wherein the longitudinal distance (b, b′, b.sub.1, b.sub.2) is no greater than 100 mm.

17. The side airbag (2) according to claim 13, characterized by being configured as a middle airbag.

18. The side airbag (2) according to claim 13, comprising an inflatable head gas cushion (22) and an inflatable torso gas cushion (24) connected to the head gas cushion (22) both of which form separate inflatable chambers of the side airbag (2), wherein the head gas cushion (22) and the torso gas cushion (24) are formed by separate inflatable chambers which are secured to each other in a connecting area (26).

19. The side airbag (2) according to claim 18, wherein the second and third fastening points (14, 16) are arranged in the fabric cut (6) of the torso gas cushion (24) and the first fastening point (12) is arranged in the fabric cut (7) of the head gas cushion (22).

20. The side airbag (2) according to claim 18, wherein the first and second fastening points (12, 14) are arranged in the fabric cut (7) of the head gas cushion (22) and the third fastening point (16) is arranged in the fabric cut (6) of the torso gas cushion (24).

21. A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30), characterized by a side airbag (2) according claim 13.

22. A vehicle seat (4) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30), wherein the airbag module (30) comprises a side airbag (2) according to claim 13.

23. The vehicle seat (4) according to claim 22, wherein a first fastening location (32) for fastening the first fastening point (12) of the side airbag (2) is arranged in the area of an upper edge (40) of a backrest (38) of the vehicle seat (4) and a third fastening location (36) for fastening the third fastening point (16) of the side airbag (2) is arranged on a lateral edge (42) of the backrest (38).

24. The vehicle seat (4) according to claim 22, wherein a second fastening location (34) for fastening the second fastening point (14) of the side airbag (2) is arranged on a lateral edge (42) of the backrest (38) in the vehicle seat vertical direction (H) above the third fastening location (36) or in the area of an upper edge (40) of the backrest (38) in the vehicle seat transverse direction (Q) closer to the lateral edge (42) of the backrest (38) than the first fastening location (32) and in the vehicle seat vertical direction (H) above the third fastening point (36).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0037] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will be evident from the following description of embodiments which are not meant to be limiting as well as by way of the drawings, wherein:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of a portion of a vehicle seat with a side airbag according to the invention in a folded condition mounted on the vehicle seat;

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view onto the vehicle seat and the side airbag according to FIG. 1;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view of the portion of the vehicle seat according to FIG. 1 with a side airbag according to the invention in a deployed condition;

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view onto the vehicle seat and the side airbag according to FIG. 3;

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a flatly spread non-inflated side airbag according to the invention;

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view onto a deployed and filled head gas cushion of a side airbag according to the invention; and

[0044] FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective representation of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention with a side airbag according to the invention in a front view.

DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically show, in different views, a vehicle seat 4 of a vehicle occupant restraint system 10 comprising a side airbag 2 according to the invention. The side airbag 2 is shown, in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a folded condition mounted on the vehicle seat frame 18 of the vehicle seat 4. In FIG. 1, merely the vehicle seat frame 18 is shown for a better overview. FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the airbag module 30 with the side airbag 2 inside the backrest 38 of the vehicle seat 4. In addition, a headrest 39 and, schematically, a head 52 of a vehicle occupant are illustrated.

[0046] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the vehicle seat 4 with a deployed side airbag 2, where, in this case, an outer envelope of the side airbag 2 is schematically shown by the dash-dot line, and the continuous line located inside the outer envelope schematically shows the gas cushion 8 adapted to be filled with gas which constitutes the inflatable area of the side airbag 2. As is visible from FIG. 4, at least the first fastening point 12 is arranged in a non-inflatable area 9 of the fabric cut 6 of the side airbag 2.

[0047] The side airbag 2 is mounted to the vehicle seat 4, in this case the vehicle seat frame 18 of the vehicle seat 4, via the fastening point 12, 14 and 16. As is evident especially from FIGS. 1 and 3, the first fastening point 12 and the second fastening point 14 are arranged in the condition mounted on the vehicle seat in an upper area of the side airbag 2. The third fastening point 16, on the other hand, is arranged in a lower area of the side airbag 2.

[0048] The first fastening point 12 is fastened to a first fastening location 32 and the second fastening point 14 is fastened to a second fastening location 34 on the vehicle seat frame 18. The first and second fastening points 12, 14 are arranged, in the mounted condition, in the vehicle seat transverse direction Q at a distance a from each other. Also, the first and second fastening locations 32, 34 are arranged on the vehicle seat frame 18 at the distance a from each other. In order to obtain optimized positioning and stabilization of the positioning of the side airbag 2, the distance a should be no less than 100 mm. Fastening is effectuated via suitable fasteners, such as via bolts or fastening clips.

[0049] In particular the third fastening location 36 and/or the second fastening location 34 can also be used for fastening a gas generator 54 of the airbag module 30, apart from attaching and fastening the side airbag 2 (see FIG. 1). Alternatively, the gas generator 54′ (exemplary alternative position shown in broken lines in FIG. 1) can also be arranged at separate gas generator fastening points at which moreover the side airbag 2 can be additionally fastened on the vehicle seat 4. In particular, a fastening point of the side airbag 2, which is also used for fastening the gas generator 54, 54′, can be arranged inside the inflatable area of the gas cushion 8 of the side airbag 2.

[0050] It is further visible from FIG. 4 that the first fastening point is arranged at a longitudinal distance b from the rear edge 20 of the gas cushion 8 in a non-inflatable area 9 of the fabric cut 6. In the inflated condition according to FIG. 4, the longitudinal distance b is tilted vis-à-vis the vehicle seat longitudinal direction L. The longitudinal distance b should not be greater than 100 mm to achieve safe and stable positioning of the side airbag 2.

[0051] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the first fastening location 32 for fastening the first fastening point 12 of the side airbag 32 is arranged in the area of an upper edge 40 of the backrest 38 on the vehicle seat frame 18. The second fastening location 34 for fastening the second fastening point 14 as well as the third fastening location 36 for fastening the third fastening point 16 are arranged in the area of the lateral edge 42 of the backrest 38 on the vehicle seat frame, the second fastening location 34 being arranged in the vehicle seat vertical direction H above the third fastening location 36.

[0052] FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a side airbag 2 according to the invention in a flatly spread non-inflated condition. In this embodiment, a side airbag 2 in the form of a middle airbag is shown.

[0053] The side airbag 2 comprises an inflatable head gas cushion 22 and a torso gas cushion 24 connected to the head gas cushion 22 both of which form separate chambers/gas cushions 8 of the side airbag 2. The two separate gas cushions 8 formed by the head gas cushion 22 and the torso gas cushion 24 are connected to each other in a connecting area 26, wherein overflow openings 27 are disposed in the connecting area 26 so that gas can flow from the torso gas cushion 24 into the head gas cushion 22. In the area of a front edge of the head gas cushion 22 and the torso gas cushion 24, in the shown embodiment moreover a positioning element 44 is secured to the head gas cushion 22 and the torso gas cushion 24. Such a positioning element 44 can additionally help optimize and/or stabilize the positioning and/or the position of the head gas cushion 22 relative to the torso gas cushion 24.

[0054] In the shown embodiment, the third fastening point 16 is arranged in a lower area of the rear edge of the torso gas cushion 24.

[0055] The first fastening point 12 and the second fastening point 14 are arranged at a longitudinal distance b1 and/or b2 from the rear edge 20 of the head gas cushion 22 in a non-inflatable area 9 of the fabric cut 7 of the head gas cushion 22, wherein the longitudinal distance b1 and/or b2 should be no greater than 100 mm so as to achieve safe and stable positioning of the side airbag 2 in its final inflated shape. In addition, the first fastening point 12 and the second fastening point 14 have a distance a from each other which should be no less than 100 mm to achieve safe and stable positioning of the side airbag 2 in its final inflated shape. In the mounted condition of the side airbag 2, the distance a substantially extends in the vehicle seat transverse direction Q.

[0056] FIG. 5 further illustrates that, in the area of the fastening points 12, 14 and 16, additional reinforcing seams 46 are introduced to the fabric cuts 6 of the torso gas cushion 24 and to the fabric cuts 7 of the head gas cushion 22.

[0057] Each of the torso gas cushion 24 and the head gas cushion 22 is formed of two fabric cuts 6 and 7 in the shown embodiment, the two fabric cuts 6 of the torso gas cushion 24 being sewn to each other via the circumferential seam 28 and the two fabric cuts 7 of the head gas cushion 22 being sewn to each other via the circumferential seam 29. In such embodiment, the circumferential seams 28 and 29 moreover form a circumferential line that divides the head gas cushion 22 and the torso gas cushion 24 into outer wall portions 54a and 56a close to the vehicle occupant and outer wall portions 54b and 56b remote from the vehicle occupant (see FIG. 7).

[0058] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic top view onto an embodiment of a deployed and filled head gas cushion 22 of a side airbag 2 according to the invention as well as a head 52 of a vehicle occupant. It results from FIG. 6 that the first and second fastening points 12 and 14 may have the same longitudinal distance b from the rear edge 20 of the inflatable gas cushion 8 of the head gas cushion 22. It is further illustrated that the first or second fastening point, in this case the first fastening point 12′, may have a larger longitudinal distance b′ from the rear edge 20 of the inflatable gas cushion 8 of the head gas cushion 22. The distance a and the longitudinal distance b and/or b′ can be adapted to a vehicle seat geometry and to a vehicle interior by a person skilled in the art to achieve an as safe and stable positioning of the side airbag 2 as possible, wherein the distance a preferably should be no less than 100 mm and the longitudinal distance b, b′ should be no greater than 100 mm.

[0059] FIG. 7 illustrates a vehicle occupant restraint system 10 according to the invention comprising a deployed inflated side airbag 2 according to the invention which is mounted on a vehicle seat 4.

[0060] The side airbag 2 is mounted on the driver seat 4 on a side facing the passenger seat 5 in the area of the lateral edge 42 of the backrest 38.

[0061] The side airbag 2 of FIG. 7 largely corresponds to the side airbag 2 according to FIG. 5. In contrast to the side airbag 2 according to FIG. 5, the side airbag 2 of the vehicle occupant restraint system 10 of FIG. 7 does not include a positioning element 44. In addition, in this case, the second fastening point 14 is arranged in the fabric cut 6 of the torso gas cushion 24.

[0062] The positioning of the side airbag 2 can be additionally optimized and stabilized particularly by the arrangement of the first and second fastening points 12, 14 at a distance a in the vehicle seat transverse direction Q as well as by the arrangement of at least the first fastening point 12 at a longitudinal distance b from the rear edge 20 of the head gas cushion 22.