Motor vehicle

Abstract

A motor vehicle (1) has a supporting structure (3) that includes an A-pillar (5), and has a protective apparatus (8) that includes an inflatable airbag that can be inflated from a rest state into a deployed state by way of activation. The inflatable airbag is accommodated exclusively in the A-pillar (5) in the rest state.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle extending in forward and backward directions and having an occupant compartment for accommodating at least one occupant, comprising: a supporting structure having left and right A-pillars obliquely forward of the occupant compartment towards an exterior of the motor vehicle; a dashboard extending between the left and right A-pillars; a protective apparatus including an airbag module housed completely in each of the A-pillars, and an inflatable airbag accommodated in the respective airbag module in a rest state, the airbag being inflatable into a deployed state; and the supporting structure being free of any structural element capable of impeding a deployment of the airbag obliquely rearward and toward a center of the occupant compartment so that the airbag in the deployed state covers the respective A-pillar from an inner side surface of the at least one A-pillar facing toward a center of the motor vehicle to a rear surface of the at least one A-pillar facing rearward on the motor vehicle, so that the respective airbag, in the deployed state, is arranged between the occupant compartment and the at least one A-pillar and with all of the deployed airbag being above the dashboard whereby a movement of the at least one occupant obliquely towards the A-pillar can be damped by the inflated airbag that covers from the inner side surface to the rear surface of the respective A-pillar.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the airbag is activated in an oblique loading case.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is an open top vehicle without a roof frame connected fixedly to the supporting structure.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is a cabriolet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a motor vehicle having an A-pillar, in which an inflatable airbag is accommodated.

(2) FIG. 2 is a similar illustration to FIG. 1 with the airbag in the deployed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a motor vehicle 1 having a vehicle front 2 with respect to a front-rear direction and a supporting structure 3. The supporting structure 3 comprises a driver's door 4L, a passenger's door 4R, left and right A-pillars 5L and 5R and a dashboard DB extending between the A-pillars 5L, 5R. The left A-pillar 5L has an inner side surface 5L-IS facing toward the right A-pillar 5R, and the right A-pillar 5R has an inner side surface facing toward the left A-pillar 5L. Additionally, the left and right A-pillars 5L and 5R are provided respectively with rear surfaces 5L-RS and 5R-RS facing toward the rear end of the motor vehicle 1.

(4) A protective apparatus 8 having an airbag module 10 is integrated into the respective A-pillar 5L, 5R. The airbag module 10 comprises an airbag that is accommodated completely in the respective A-pillar 5L, 5R in the folded together state.

(5) FIG. 2 shows the airbag 20 in its deployed state. After activation, in particular ignition of an ignition device of the airbag module 10, a gas generator inflates the airbag 20 in such a way that it deploys in front of the A-pillar 5, relative to the perspective view shown in FIG. 2.

(6) The inflated airbag 20 advantageously is arranged between the respective A-pillar 5L, 5R and an occupant of the motor vehicle 1, in particular a driver of the motor vehicle 1. The motor vehicle 1 is a cabriolet without a roof frame. The motor vehicle 1 comprises, for example, a folding roof (not shown in the figures).