VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAVING FRONT AIRBAG AND SIDE AIRBAG

Abstract

The invention relates to a restraint system for a vehicle occupant (26) in a motor vehicle, comprising a front airbag (28), in particular a driver's airbag, and a side airbag (14), in particular a curtain airbag. In the inflated state, the side airbag (14) is arranged and shaped in such a way that, in the event of a glancing impact of the vehicle occupant (26) on the front airbag (28), the side airbag (14) provides no significant support for the front airbag (28) in the vehicle transverse direction (y) in a front open region (20), relative to the direction of travel (x) of the vehicle, of the vehicle side below the A-pillar (12).

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A restraint system for a vehicle occupant (26) in a motor vehicle, having a front airbag (28), in particular a driver's airbag, and a side airbag (14), in particular a curtain airbag, wherein the side airbag (14) is arranged and shaped in the inflated state such that, in the event of a glancing impact of the vehicle occupant (26) with the front airbag (28), the side airbag (14) does not provide significant support for the front airbag (28) in the vehicle transverse direction (y) in a front free area (20), with respect to the direction of travel (x) of the vehicle, of the vehicle side below the A-pillar (12).

13. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the free area (20) is located, with regard to the direction of travel (x), at least mostly in front of the inflated front airbag (28) on the vehicle side.

14. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the side airbag (14) leaves at least a part of the free area (20) free.

15. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the side airbag (14) has a thinned portion (22) in the vehicle transverse direction (y), which is positioned within the free area (20) in the inflated state of the side airbag (14).

16. The restraint system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thinned portion (22) of the side airbag (14) does not have gas-filled chambers.

17. The restraint system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thinned portion (22) of the side airbag (14) has gas-filled chambers which are thinner in the vehicle transverse direction (y) than chambers of adjacent portions of the side airbag (14).

18. The restraint system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the thinned portion (22) of the side airbag (14) has a thickness in the vehicle transverse direction (y) that is less than half, preferably less than a third of, the thickness of a portion of the side airbag (14) that adjoins counter to the direction of travel (x).

19. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the front airbag (28) is a driver's airbag that unfolds from the steering wheel of the vehicle, wherein the steering wheel forms a tilting device for the front airbag (28) in the event of a glancing impact.

20. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the front airbag (28) is a three-dimensional airbag which preferably has a contact wall (30) facing the vehicle occupant (26), an opposite rear wall (32) and a lateral portion (34) arranged between the two walls (30, 32).

21. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the front airbag (28) has a contact wall (30) facing the vehicle occupant (26) and an opposite rear wall (32), wherein the rear wall (32) is frustoconical in the unfolded and filled state of the front airbag (28).

22. The restraint system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the front airbag (28) is a two-dimensional airbag which has a contact wall (30) facing the vehicle occupant (26) and an opposite rear wall (32), wherein, in the region of the rear wall (32) and/or at the rear wall (32), darts (40), incisions and/or rebound straps (42) have been introduced, such that in the unfolded and filled state of the front airbag (28) a lateral movement of the front airbag (28) is allowed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a vehicle interior with a side airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a vehicle occupant and a front airbag and a side airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to the first embodiment;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a side airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to a second embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a vehicle interior with a vehicle occupant and a front airbag and a side airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to the second embodiment, and

[0026] FIGS. 5 a) to d) show different plan view of front airbags of a vehicle occupant restraint system according to the invention according to further embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a driver's side interior of a motor vehicle, which contains the A-pillar 10, the B-pillar 12 and substantially the region of the driver's door. Furthermore, a fully inflated side airbag 14 of a vehicle occupant restraint system is shown, more specifically a curtain airbag, which has unfolded downwardly from the roof frame 16 and the A-pillar 10 and covers a substantial part of the side window 18 of the driver's door. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the side airbag 14 extends toward the rear (counter to the direction of travel x) in the vehicle longitudinal direction as far as the B-pillar 12. The side airbag 14 can, however, also extend over a greater area of the vehicle side and in particular also cover the rear side windows of the vehicle.

[0028] As indicated in FIG. 1, the inflated side airbag 14 extends, with its front end with regard to the direction of travel x, into an area of the vehicle side that is referred to below as the free area 20. In this free area 20, the side airbag 14 does not, in the event of a glancing impact, provide any significant support in the vehicle transverse direction y for a front airbag of the vehicle occupant restraint system. This desired functionality is explained in more detail below.

[0029] In the free area 20, a front side airbag portion 22 is positioned, which, compared with the portion of the side airbag 14 that adjoins counter to the direction of travel x, has a much reduced thickness in the vehicle transverse direction y. This portion 22 has either no gas-filled chambers at all or only thinner chambers.

[0030] Moreover, the side airbag 14 leaves, below the A-pillar 12, a front subregion 24, with respect to the direction of travel x, of the vehicle side completely free, i.e. this recessed subregion 24 is not covered by the side airbag 14.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a vehicle occupant 26, more specifically the driver of the vehicle, and a fully inflated front airbag 28, more specifically a driver's airbag, which has unfolded from the steering wheel, and the fully inflated side airbag 14 from FIG. 1. The front airbag 28 is what is known as a three-dimensional airbag, which not only consists substantially of two fabric parts that are connected together one on top of the other and peripherally, but is also formed from a plurality of fabric parts and, in addition to a contact wall 30 facing the vehicle occupant 26 and an opposite rear wall 32, also has a lateral portion 34 connecting the two walls 30, 32. In the inflated state, the front airbag 28 has relatively low tensile stress in the region of its rear wall 32.

[0032] Both airbags 14, 28 belong to the same vehicle occupant restraint system for protecting the same vehicle occupant 26, in this case the driver. FIG. 2 illustrates a situation in which the airbags 14, 28 are already fully inflated but the vehicle occupant 26 has not yet passed into one of the airbags 14, 28.

[0033] As already mentioned, the side airbag 14 and the front airbag 28 are coordinated with one another such that, in the event of a glancing impact, in which both the side airbag 14 and the front airbag 28 are activated and inflated, the side airbag 14 does not provide any significant support in the vehicle transverse direction y for the front airbag 28. In particular, the side airbag portion 22 is preferably coordinated, in terms of its configuration, with the front airbag 28 such that, in the original position of the fully unfolded side airbag 14 and of the fully unfolded front airbag 28, before the vehicle occupant 26 makes contact therewith, virtually no contact is brought about or exists between the side airbag 14 and the front airbag 28.

[0034] This is because if the head of the vehicle occupant 26 makes glancing contact with the front airbag 28, the latter moves obliquely forward into the free area 20, and so the front airbag 28 follows the movement of the head of the vehicle occupant 26. As a result, excessive angular acceleration of the head of the vehicle occupant 26 is avoided.

[0035] This behavior is favored in the event of a glancing impact by the shape and the internal pressure of the front airbag 28, which are designed such that, at least initially, the head of the vehicle occupant 26 can pass relatively unimpeded into the front airbag 28, i.e. the head does not strike the contact wall 30, nor does it slide along the contact wall 30 and is set into rotation on account of the friction.

[0036] The desired movement of the front airbag 28 in the direction of the free area 20 is supported, in the case of a driver's airbag, by the steering wheel, from which the front airbag 28 has unfolded. More specifically, the steering wheel rim serves as an edge via which the front airbag 28 is tilted toward the free area 20.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the side airbag 14 for the vehicle occupant restraint system. The side airbag 14, illustrated in the fully inflated state, is a curtain airbag, which is intended to fully cover all the side windows of a vehicle side.

[0038] The side airbag 14 is subdivided into a large number of separated chambers. At its front end in the vehicle direction x, the side airbag 14 has a portion 22 which, compared with adjoining portions of the side airbag 14, in particular compared with the portion that adjoins counter to the direction of travel x, has a much reduced thickness in the vehicle transverse direction y. In this portion 22, although individual chambers are likewise formed, these are much thinner than the chambers of the surrounding portions.

[0039] The portion 22 is arranged within the side airbag 14 such that it is positioned in the free area 20 after the side airbag 14 has unfolded in the vehicle. This means that, in the event of a glancing impact, the associated front airbag 28 of the vehicle occupant restraint system is moved or tilted in the direction of the portion 22 when the vehicle occupant 26 comes into contact with the front airbag 28. The front airbag 28 moved or tilted into the free area 20 is not significantly supported by the side airbag 14 there.

[0040] FIG. 4 clearly illustrates such a glancing impact scenario, in which both the side airbag 14 and the front airbag 28 were inflated. As a result of the vehicle occupant 26 passing into the front airbag 28, the latter has been tilted obliquely forward via the steering wheel rim into the free area 20, where the relatively thin portion 22 of the side airbag 14 is positioned (the free area 20 and the side airbag portion 22 are concealed in FIG. 4). Therefore, the front airbag 28 is virtually not supported by the side airbag 14 in the vehicle transverse direction y. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the head of the vehicle occupant 26 is, however, retained by a rear, thicker portion of the side airbag 14 in order that it does not swing too far to the side.

[0041] FIGS. 5 a) to 5 d) illustrate different alternative embodiments of the front airbag 28, which allow tilting and a lateral movement of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 of the steering wheel 36. The front airbags 28 in FIGS. 5 a) to d) in this case each have a contact wall 30 facing the vehicle occupant 26 and an opposite rear wall 32, which are connected peripherally together, for example by a seam 48.

[0042] FIG. 5 a) shows an embodiment of the front airbag 28 in which the rear wall 32 is configured such that the rear wall 32 has the shape of a truncated cone in the unfolded and filled state of the front airbag 28. As a result, the tilting and the lateral movement of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 is allowed in the event of a glancing impact.

[0043] FIG. 5 b) shows an embodiment of the front airbag 28 in which darts 40 have been introduced into the rear wall 32 of a two-dimensional front airbag 28 such that the shape of the rear wall 32 is influenced such that, in the unfolded and filled state of the front airbag 28, a lateral movement and tilting of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 is allowed.

[0044] FIG. 5 c) shows an embodiment of the front airbag 28 in which, in the region of the rear wall 32, in the interior of the two-dimensional front airbag 28, a rebound strap 42 has been introduced such that the shape of the rear wall 32 is influenced such that, in the unfolded and filled state of the front airbag 28, a lateral movement and tilting of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 is allowed. In order to achieve this advantageous, for example substantially frustoconical, shape of the rear wall 32, it is also possible, of course, for a plurality of rebound straps 42 to be introduced in the interior of the front airbag 28 in the region of the rear wall 32.

[0045] Furthermore, it is also possible for a combination of darts 40 and/or rebound straps 42 and/or incisions to be introduced into the rear wall 32 in order to allow a lateral movement and tilting of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38.

[0046] FIG. 5 d) shows an embodiment in which the front airbag 28 is in the form of a standardized two-dimensional front airbag 28. Tilting of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 is allowed here in that the front airbag housing 44 is designed such that the exit opening 46 of the front airbag 28 has been shifted in the direction of the steering wheel rim 38, with the result that reduced support of the rear wall 32 on the steering wheel rim 38 can be achieved. Of course, such shifting of the exit opening 46 toward the steering wheel rim 38 can also be applied in the embodiments of the front airbag 28 that are described above in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5a) to 5c), in order for example to further improve the possibility for tilting of the front airbag 28 via the steering wheel rim 38 in the event of a glancing impact.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0047] 10 A-pillar [0048] 12 B-pillar [0049] 14 Side airbag [0050] 16 Roof frame [0051] 18 Side window [0052] 20 Free area [0053] 22 Portion [0054] 24 Subregion [0055] 26 Vehicle occupant [0056] 28 Front airbag [0057] 30 Contact wall [0058] 32 Rear wall [0059] 34 Lateral portion [0060] 36 Steering wheel [0061] 38 Steering wheel rim [0062] 40 Dart [0063] 42 Rebound strap [0064] 44 Front airbag housing [0065] 46 Exit opening [0066] 48 Seam