AVALANCHE AIRBAG SYSTEM, CARRYING DEVICE COMPRISING AN AVALANCHE AIRBAG SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AVALANCHE AIRBAG SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to an avalanche airbag system (10), which comprises an airbag (14) and a filling device (20) for introducing ambient air into the airbag (14). The filling device (20) comprises a fan (16) with an electric motor (18), a first electric energy storage (22, 40), a second electric energy storage configured as capacitor (24), and a control device (26) for actuating the electric motor (18). The control device (26) is configured to detect an activating of a standby mode of the filling device (20) and, depending on the activating of the standby mode, to effect a charging of the capacitor (24) with electric energy originating from the first energy storage (22, 40). Moreover, the invention relates to a carrying device comprising such an avalanche airbag system (10) as well as a method for operating such an avalanche airbag system (10).

Claims

1. Avalanche airbag system (10) comprising at least one airbag (14) and a filling device (20) for introducing ambient air into the airbag (14), wherein the filling device (20) comprises at least one fan (16) with an electric motor (18), a first electric energy storage (22, 40), a second electric energy storage configured as capacitor (24), and a control device (26) for actuating the electric motor (18), characterized in that the control device (26) is configured to detect an activating of a standby mode of the filling device (20) and to effect a charging of the capacitor (24) with electric energy originating from the first energy storage (22, 40) depending on the activating of the standby mode.

2. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that a nominal capacity of the first energy storage (22, 40) is designed such that also after charging the capacitor (24) by using the electric energy of the first energy storage (22, 40) the airbag (14), in particular at an ambient temperature of up to 30 degrees Celsius, can be filled at least once.

3. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (26) is configured to effect, depending on the activating of the standby mode, the introduction of at least one charge quantity from the first energy storage (22, 40) into the capacitor (24), by means of which the airbag (14) can be filled at least once.

4. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control device (26) is configured to effect, depending on a being-switched-on of the electric motor (18), the supplying of the electric motor (18) with electric energy originating from both energy storages (22, 40, 24).

5. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the control device (26) is configured to effect, depending on exceeding a predetermined threshold value of a power to be output by the electric motor (18) when filling the airbags (14), the supplying of the electric motor (18) with electric energy originating from both energy storages (22, 40, 24).

6. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first energy storage (22, 40) comprises a non-rechargeable battery and/or an accumulator.

7. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the control device (26) is configured to effect an introduction of electric energy from the capacitor (24) into the first energy storage (40).

8. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first energy storage (22, 40) serves for providing electric energy to the control device (26) and/or to further electronic components.

9. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the capacitor (24) is configured as supercapacitor and/or as lithium-ion capacitor.

10. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the capacitor (24) is arranged on a printed circuit board and is fixed in its position by means of a potting compound.

11. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an alarm device, which can be actuated by means of the control device (26) and which is configured to request a user of the avalanche airbag system (10) after a predetermined period of time has elapsed to recharge at least one of the energy storages (24, 40) and/or to replace at least one of the energy storages (22).

12. Avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that an actuation device (36), by means of which the filling device (20) can be brought into a triggered state, in which the filling device (20) introduces ambient air into the airbag (14).

13. Carrying device, in particular backpack (12), comprising an avalanche airbag system (10) according to any one of the claims 1 to 12.

14. Method for operating an avalanche airbag system (10), which comprises at least one airbag (14) and a filling device (20), by means of which ambient air is introduced into the airbag (14), wherein the filling device (20) comprises at least one fan (16) with an electric motor (18), a first electric energy storage (22, 40), a second energy storage configured as capacitor (24), and a control device (26) which actuates the electric motor (18), characterized in that the control device (26) detects an activating of a standby mode of the filling device (20) and effects, due to the detection of the activating of the standby mode, a charging of the capacitor (24) with electric energy originating from the first energy storage (22, 40).

Description

[0050] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention may be gathered from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments as well as the drawings. These show in:

[0051] FIG. 1 schematically an avalanche airbag system, in which for supplying an electric motor of a fan a battery and a capacitor are employed, wherein by means of the fan an airbag or avalanche airbag is inflated;

[0052] FIG. 2 a variant of the avalanche airbag system, in which a charging of the capacitor via an external power grid is not envisaged, however the capacitor is recharged by the battery or an accumulator;

[0053] FIG. 3 a further variant, in which equally an accumulator can be used for charging the capacitor, wherein both the capacitor as well as the accumulator provide electric energy to the electric motor; and

[0054] FIG. 4 schematically an avalanche airbag backpack comprising the avalanche airbag system according to FIG. 1.

[0055] FIG. 1 schematically shows an avalanche airbag system 10, as it is provided for use in a carrying device for instance in the form of a backpack 12 (see FIG. 4). If the avalanche airbag system 10 is arranged in the backpack 12, the backpack 12 is an avalanche airbag backpack. A filling device 20 of the avalanche airbag system 10 in the present case is configured to fill an airbag 14 of the avalanche airbag system 10 with ambient air by operating a fan 16, wherein the fan 16 comprises an electric motor 18. By operating the fan 16 consequently after a triggering of the avalanche airbag system 10 it is ensured that the airbag 14 is filled with ambient air within about five seconds.

[0056] In particular at the very low ambient temperatures, at which the avalanche airbag system 10 can be employed, it is a challenge to ensure the provision of electric energy to the electric motor 18. In the present case according to FIG. 1 the filling device 20 of the avalanche airbag system 10 therefore comprises not only the fan 16, but also a first electric energy storage in the form of a battery 22 and a second electric energy storage in the form of a capacitor 24. The capacitor 24 can in particular be configured as supercapacitor or ultracapacitor in particular in the form of a double layer capacitor and/or as lithium-ion capacitor. Moreover, the capacitor 24 can comprise a plurality of capacitor elements in the form of supercapacitors or ultracapacitors or lithium-ion capacitor units that are preferably connected in series. Then the capacitor can provide a higher voltage than a single capacitor element is capable to provide.

[0057] A control device for instance in the form of an electronic control device 26 actuates the electric motor 18. In particular the control device 26 can ensure that both electric energy from the battery 22 as well as electric energy from the capacitor 24 is provided to the electric motor 18 in order to effect the inflating or the filling of the airbag 14 with ambient air.

[0058] The battery 22 can in particular be formed by at least two common, non-rechargeable battery cells (see FIG. 2), which can be electrically conductively connected with each other. In particular exactly two such battery cells can be envisaged for providing the battery 22. By means of a DC-DC converter 28 (see FIG. 1) the voltage provided by the battery 22 can be adjusted to the voltage provided by the capacitor 24.

[0059] If the battery 22 is formed by at least two non-rechargeable battery cells that are connected in series, preferably a capacity of the battery 22 is designed such that after a complete charging of the capacitor 24 and after 24 hours in the standby mode at least two, preferably three to four triggerings of the airbag 14 are possible.

[0060] Also in the case of a configuration of the first electric energy storage as accumulator 40 (see FIG. 2) corresponding, rechargeable accumulator cells can be connected in series and thus provide a higher voltage than the individual accumulator cell is capable to provide.

[0061] As has already been set out, in analogy to the battery 22 also the capacitor 24 can be formed by a plurality of capacitor elements or cells, which preferably in the same way as the battery cells are electrically connected in series. By means of a monitoring unit 30 assigned to the capacitor 24 differences in voltage between such capacitor units or capacitor elements can be identified and balanced. The control device 26 is configured for actuating the DC-DC converter 28 and the monitoring unit 30. Corresponding control lines 54, 56 are shown in FIG. 1. Moreover the control device 26 actuates a further converter 32, which for instance can be configured as inverter, and via which the electric energy originating from the battery 22 and the capacitor 24 is supplied to the electric motor 18.

[0062] Via a triggering line 34 the control device 26 is connected to a triggering handle 36 or such actuation device. For instance by pulling the triggering handle 36 the filling device 20 can be brought into a triggered state, in which the filling device 20 introduces ambient air into the airbag 14.

[0063] In the present case the capacitor 24 is charged by means of electric energy originating from the first electric energy storage, be it in the form of the battery 22 or the accumulator 40, as soon as a main switch of the avalanche airbag system 10 or the filling device 20 is actuated and thus the filling device 20 is brought into the standby mode. Moreover, both to ensure the charge conservation of the capacitor 24 as well as to provide electric energy to the control device 26 and further electronic components of the filling device 20 in the present case preferably that electric energy is used, which originates from the battery 22 (see FIG. 1) or from the battery 22 and the accumulator 40 (see FIG. 2).

[0064] If, however, the electric motor 18 of the fan 16 is operated in order to inflate the airbag 14, i. e. fill it with ambient air, then the capacitor 24 supports the battery 22 or the accumulator 40 in providing electric energy to the electric motor 18. In this way peak loads of the electric motor 18 can be covered particularly well. During the load consequently the battery 22 (or the accumulator 40) in a current-limited way provides its maximum electricity via the DC-DC converter 28 to the electric motor 18, wherein the remaining electric current provided to the electric motor 18 is made available by the capacitor 24.

[0065] On the triggering handle 36 display elements 38 can be arranged, which provide information about the charging state of the energy storage in the form of the battery 22 or the accumulator 40 and of the capacitor 24. For instance a light-emitting diode illuminating in yellow, one illuminating in red, and one illuminating in green can be provided as such display elements 38. Moreover, the display elements 38 can preferably indicate that the filling device 20 is switched on and is in the on-call service mode or standby mode.

[0066] By using non-rechargeable battery cells for providing the battery 22 the provision of energy also at very low temperatures is clearly more efficient than this would be the case when using the accumulator 40 as sole first energy storage. Moreover after the triggering of the airbag 14 the battery cells of the battery 22 can be replaced very easily by new battery cells. In order to further increase safety with regard to the inflating of the airbag 14, in the present case, however, the capacitor 24 is provided, which serves as relief element.

[0067] By such a relief element also peak loads in the operation of the electric motor 18 can be covered. Moreover the capacitor 24 is not sensitive to temperature so that by means of the capacitor 24 also at very low ambient temperatures large quantities of electric energy for operating the electric motor 18 can be made available very fast.

[0068] In particular it is envisaged that the control device 26 is provided with electricity by the battery 22. When operating the electric motor 18, by contrast, the capacitor 24 supports the battery 22. Preferably the battery 22 is designed such that at least a single triggering, i. e. at least a single filling of the airbag 14, is possible with the energy quantity stored in the battery 22 even at ambient temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius. Preferably, even if the battery 22 is formed by two common, non-rechargeable battery cells, it can be ensured that by means of the electric energy of the battery 22 the capacitor 24 can be completely charged four to five times. This is the case in particular when the shifting of electric energy from the battery 22 into the capacitor 24 takes place at temperatures of more than zero degree Celsius. If the capacitor 24 can be completely charged four times to five times, by means of the electric energy shifted into the capacitor 24 four to five triggerings of the avalanche airbag system 10 are possible, during which the airbag 14 is inflated.

[0069] The control device 26 can also ensure that the electric motor 18 is operated merely with the energy originating from the capacitor 24. In particular, however, it is envisaged that both the battery 22 as well as the capacitor 24 at least temporarily provide electric energy for operating the electric motor 18. This can be effected by the control device 26 for instance when the electric motor 18 is switched on or when the electric motor 18 is meant to provide a certain nominal power that is higher than a predetermined threshold value of the nominal power.

[0070] FIG. 2 schematically shows components of a variant of the avalanche airbag system 10. In this variant the first electric energy storage is formed both by the non-rechargeable battery 22 as well as by a rechargeable battery, i. e. an accumulator 40. In FIG. 2 schematically a charging cable 42 is shown, which can be connected to an external power grid, in order to charge the accumulator 40 via the grid for instance before a ski tour. On the side of the filling device 20 for connecting the charging cable 42 a suitable charging connection, for instance in the form of a USB connection, in particular a mini USB connection, is provided. Moreover, in FIG. 2 by a double arrow 44 it is indicated that the accumulator 40 can be employed for compensating for a self-discharge of the capacitor 24.

[0071] This compensating for the self-discharge of the capacitor 24 is equally possible with the battery 22 shown in FIG. 1. In order to facilitate the shifting back of electric energy from the capacitor 24 into the accumulator 40, as illustrated by the double arrow 44, the DC-DC converter 28 (see FIG. 1), which is not shown in FIG. 2, is preferably configured as bidirectional DC-DC converter 28.

[0072] Also in the variant shown in FIG. 2 both the accumulator 40 as well as the capacitor 24 can independently of each other provide electric energy to the electric motor 18. The control device 26, however, also in this variant can effect the supplying of electric energy originating both from the accumulator 40 and from the capacitor 24 to the electric motor 18.

[0073] Moreover, also in the variant shown in FIG. 2 it is envisaged that the battery 22 compensates for a self-discharge of the capacitor 24 serving in particular as relief element. However, no electric energy can be introduced from the capacitor 24 into the battery 22. Therefore in FIG. 2 instead of a double arrow between the battery 22 and the capacitor 24 merely an arrow 46 is shown, which illustrates the compensation for the self-discharge of the capacitor 24.

[0074] In the variant of the avalanche airbag system 10 shown in FIG. 2 the first energy storage of the filling device 20 is jointly formed by the battery 22 and the accumulator 40 (see FIG. 1). In the variant according to FIG. 2 it is not envisaged that the capacitor 24 is charged or recharged via the external power grid, i. e. by using the charging cable 42. Rather, merely the battery 22 and/or the accumulator 40 ensure the charging or recharging of the capacitor 24. In this way no separate charging device for the capacitor 24 needs to be provided and kept available.

[0075] In the case of the variants of the avalanche airbag system 10 described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the charging or recharging of the capacitor 24 is effected by the control device 26 each time the filling device 20 is brought into the standby mode. In this way losses in electric energy of the capacitor 24 due to the self-discharge are kept particularly low. In order to bring the filling device 20 into the standby mode, the avalanche airbag system 10 is switched on, and as a consequence electric energy is provided to the control device 26. When the filling device 20 is in the standby mode, the actuation of the triggering handle 36 (see FIG. 1) effects that the fan 16 fills the airbag 14 with ambient air. The control device 26 in this connection receives a signal indicating that the triggering handle 36 has been actuated and subsequently actuates the electric motor 18.

[0076] When switching on or activating the standby mode, the fan 16 can briefly be operated so that the user of the backpack 12 or the avalanche airbag system 10 receives a feedback to the effect that the standby mode is activated. However, there are also other ways in which an, in particular haptic feedback for this purpose can be generated, or it can be optically or acoustically communicated to the user that the standby mode of the filling device 20 has been activated.

[0077] Moreover it can be envisaged that, if the ambient temperature drops below a certain threshold value, electric energy is shifted from the battery 22 or from the accumulator 40 (see FIG. 2) into the capacitor 24. In this way the decreasing power of the accumulator 40 or battery 22 at low ambient temperature can be accommodated.

[0078] In FIG. 3 components of the avalanche airbag system 10 according to a further variant are shown from which it becomes clear that both by the accumulator 40 as well as by the capacitor 24 electric energy for the electric motor 18 can be made available. Also in the variant shown in FIG. 3 as in the variant according to FIG. 2 it is envisaged that the capacitor 24 is not recharged by connecting to an external power source. Rather, the charging of the capacitor 24 is effected by the accumulator 40. However, the accumulator 40 in turn can be charged via the charging cable 42 by connecting the charging cable 42 to the external power grid.

[0079] When inflating the airbag 14, the electric motor 18 of the fan 16 can initially be operated at maximum power in order to fill the airbag 14 with a certain volume of ambient air of for instance about 150 liters. In a further step then the pressure to be set in the interior of the airbag 14 can be built up, wherein for sustaining the pressure in particular a valve can be closed. For building up the pressure the electric motor 18 can be operated at a lower power than for inflating the desired volume. Moreover, it may be envisaged that for beginning the inflation operation the electric motor 18 is at least predominantly provided with electric energy from the capacitor 24. However, also at the beginning of the inflation operation additionally the battery power of the battery 22 or the accumulator 40 can be used.

[0080] In FIG. 4 it is schematically shown that the airbag 14 of the avalanche airbag system 10 can be arranged in an airbag pocket 48 of the backpack 12. Such an airbag pocket 48 in the present case is a compartment or a container of this kind, which is separate from a further stowage compartment of the backpack 12 and in which the airbag 14 is stored to be protected against damage. Moreover, the airbag pocket 48 ensures that the airbag 14 during standard use does not drop out from the backpack 12. At the same time the airbag 14 should be packed as compactly as possible to avoid precious backpack volume to be taken up unnecessarily by the airbag 14. Also this purpose is fulfilled by the airbag pocket 48. If the avalanche airbag system 10 is triggered, this effects the opening of the airbag pocket 48 as a consequence of the inflating of the airbag 14. Then the released or exposed airbag 14 can subsequently be filled further with ambient air by means of the fan 16.

[0081] Of the backpack 12 in FIG. 4 moreover shoulder straps 50 as well as waist straps 52 are schematically shown. The triggering handle 36 of the avalanche airbag system 10, which can in particular protrude from one of the shoulder straps 50, is not shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity.