Vehicle-occupant restraint system having an additional airbag

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprises a front airbag (12) and an auxiliary airbag (30) both of which are assigned to a joint vehicle seat (22), wherein, prior to its deployment, the auxiliary airbag (30) is arranged in a roof region of the vehicle and, in the filled state, as a further front airbag extends ahead of a vehicle occupant (24) and between the front airbag (12) and the vehicle occupant (24) in the assigned vehicle seat (22) and bears against the front airbag (12).

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a front airbag and an auxiliary airbag both of which are assigned to a joint vehicle seat, wherein the auxiliary airbag prior to deployment thereof is arranged in a roof region of a vehicle and, in a filled state, extends as a further front airbag ahead of a vehicle occupant and between the front airbag and the vehicle occupant in the assigned vehicle seat, with the filled auxiliary airbag bearing against the front airbag, wherein the auxiliary airbag has at least one flexible structure including bulges and recesses, wherein the at least one flexible structure comprises a first flexible structure in a neck portion of the auxiliary airbag which is configured at a transition from an inflation end to a cushion-shaped portion of the auxiliary airbag, wherein the first flexible structure in the filled state includes plural inflatable cells sequential along a vehicle vertical direction, each of the cells forming a bulge of a baffle, wherein the front airbag and the auxiliary airbag can be filled independently of each other so that optionally only the front airbag or the front airbag and the auxiliary airbag can be filled.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary airbag includes an opposed bearing surface, wherein, in the filled state, the bearing surface of the auxiliary airbag rests on a baffle of the front airbag.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary airbag is configured and arranged so that, in the filled state, the auxiliary bag covers at least 60% of the baffle of the front airbag) when viewed in a direction toward a vehicle front end.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary airbag has a filling volume of about 20-30 liters and/or, in the filled state, has an internal pressure of approximately 100 to 500 hPa.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a position detection system for detecting a position of the assigned vehicle seat and/or of the vehicle occupant in the vehicle seat as well as a control unit which decides on optionally releasing the auxiliary airbag in response to data supplied by the position detection system are provided.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the flexible structure comprises a second flexible structure in a free end region of the auxiliary airbag which includes plural second inflatable cells sequential along a vehicle transverse direction, each of the second cells forming a bulge on the baffle of the auxiliary airbag.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein, in the filled state, the auxiliary airbag includes a region having reduced depth or a cutout in an area of the baffle which is spanned by a non-inflatable panel portion.

8. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 7, wherein the non-inflatable panel portion includes at least one fold which is fixed by a means opening upon a predetermined load.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary airbag has a filling volume of approximately 25 liters, and/or, in the filled state, has an internal pressure of approximately 200-300 hPa.

10. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a front airbag and an auxiliary airbag both of which are assigned to a joint vehicle seat, wherein the auxiliary airbag prior to deployment thereof is arranged in a roof region of a vehicle and, in a filled state, extends as a further front airbag ahead of a vehicle occupant and between the front airbag and the vehicle occupant in the assigned vehicle seat, with the filled auxiliary airbag bearing against the front airbag wherein, in the filled state, the auxiliary airbag includes a region having reduced depth or a cutout in an area of a baffle which is spanned by a non-inflatable panel portion, wherein the non-inflatable panel portion includes at least one fold which is fixed by a means opening upon a predetermined load.

11. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a front airbag and an auxiliary airbag both of which are assigned to a joint vehicle seat, wherein the auxiliary airbag prior to deployment thereof is arranged in a roof region of a vehicle and, in a filled state, extends as a further front airbag ahead of a vehicle occupant and between the front airbag and the vehicle occupant in the assigned vehicle seat, with the filled auxiliary airbag bearing against the front airbag, wherein the auxiliary airbag has at least one flexible structure including bulges and recesses, wherein the at least one flexible structure comprises a first flexible structure in a neck portion of the auxiliary airbag which is configured at a transition from an inflation end to a cushion-shaped portion of the auxiliary airbag, wherein the first flexible structure in the filled state includes plural inflatable cells sequential along a vehicle vertical direction, each of the cells forming a bulge of a baffle, wherein, in the filled state, the auxiliary airbag includes a region having reduced depth or a cutout in an area of the baffle which is spanned by a non-inflatable panel portion, and wherein the non-inflatable panel portion includes at least one fold which is fixed by a means opening upon a predetermined load.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Hereinafter the invention shall be described in detail by way of plural embodiments with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising an auxiliary airbag according to the invention as set forth in a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic front view onto the filled auxiliary airbag of the vehicle occupant restraint system of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the auxiliary airbag of FIG. 2 along the line III-III;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of an auxiliary airbag according to the invention as set forth in a second embodiment;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a non-inflatable panel portion of the auxiliary airbag of FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic front view onto an auxiliary airbag according to the invention as set forth in a third embodiment; and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of the auxiliary airbag of FIG. 6 along the line VII-VII.

DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle occupant restraint system 10 in a vehicle, a passenger car in this case.

(10) The vehicle occupant restraint system 10 comprises a front airbag 12 having a first filling volume V.sub.1 which is filled with filling gas by an inflator 14 when the front airbag 12 is activated.

(11) In this embodiment, the front airbag 12 is a conventional passenger airbag which, prior to activation, is accommodated being folded into a package in an airbag module together with the inflator 14 in a module holder 16 in an instrument panel 20 of the vehicle.

(12) However, the front airbag 12 could just as well be a driver airbag which, prior to being deployed, is accommodated in an airbag module in a steering wheel of the vehicle.

(13) A vehicle seat 22 in which a vehicle occupant 24 can take a seat (indicated in FIG. 1) is assigned to the front airbag 12. The vehicle seat 22, a seat back 26 of the vehicle seat 22 and/or the occupant 24 may adopt different positions with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction x, the seat back 26 being adjustable, for example, also in its angle of inclination.

(14) For the vehicle seat 22 a standard position is defined which in FIG. 1 is illustrated having the distance a.sub.1 from the instrument panel 20. But the standard position may alternatively or additionally relate to an adjusting angle of the vehicle seat back 26 and/or to a current position of the occupant 24.

(15) The position of the vehicle seat 22, of the vehicle occupant 24 and/or a position of the seat back 26 can be detected by a position detection system 28 indicated in FIG. 1 and provided in the vehicle interior which transmits its measuring data to a control unit (not shown). The control unit may be part of a controller of the entire vehicle occupant restraint system 10, for example. The position detection system 28 may be realized in any suitable manner.

(16) If the vehicle seat 22 and/or the vehicle occupant 24 is in the standard position, the control unit decides, upon activation of the vehicle occupant restraint system 10, to fill exclusively the front airbag 12, as the vehicle occupant 24 is in a position optimal for said airbag.

(17) If it is determined, however, that the vehicle seat 22, the vehicle occupant 24 and/or the seat back 26 are not in the standard position, which is indicated in FIG. 1 by the distance a.sub.2, the control unit can decide to activate an auxiliary airbag 30 in addition to the front airbag 12.

(18) Hence it is possible to fill only the front airbag 1 or to fill the front airbag 12 and the auxiliary airbag 30. Filling of the auxiliary airbag 30 alone is not provided, however.

(19) In the cases in which the auxiliary airbag 30 is to be filled, basically the front airbag 12 is activated first. Only when the latter is completely or partly filled, will also the auxiliary airbag 30 be activated.

(20) Prior to its deployment, the auxiliary airbag 30 is accommodated in an airbag module in a module holder 32 at a roof region 34 of the vehicle. In this example, the module holder 32 is provided in the area of a sun visor 36. The auxiliary airbag 30 is filled via a separate inflator 38. The inflator 38 may be disposed on a roof rail of the vehicle (not shown).

(21) In the folded state, the auxiliary airbag 30 is accommodated in the module holder 32 so that an initial deployment direction E of the auxiliary airbag 30 has a component which is directed along the vehicle longitudinal direction x toward the vehicle seat 22. However, the main deployment direction of the auxiliary airbag 30 is located along the vehicle vertical direction z in the direction downwards from the roof region 34.

(22) In the filled state, the auxiliary airbag 30 extends between the vehicle occupant 24 and the front airbag 12 and forms an additional front airbag for the vehicle occupant 24.

(23) The auxiliary airbag 30 includes a baffle 40 as well as an opposed bearing surface 42. The auxiliary airbag 30 is configured and disposed such that, in the filled state of both airbags (viz. of the front airbag 12 and the auxiliary airbag 30), the bearing surface 42 rests flatly on a baffle 44 of the front airbag 12. The small space between the airbags 12, 30 is present only for distinguishing the outlines thereof in the drawings.

(24) The auxiliary airbag 30 has a second filling volume V.sub.2 which is smaller than the filling volume V.sub.1 of the front airbag 12.

(25) The filling volume V.sub.2 of the auxiliary airbag 30 may amount to approximately 25 l, for example, whereas the filling volume V.sub.1 of the front airbag 12 may amount to approximately 140 l. An internal pressure of the auxiliary airbag 30 may be selected to range from about 200 to 300 hPa, for example.

(26) The depth t of the auxiliary airbag 30, viz. a distance between the baffle 40 and the bearing surface 42 in the filled state, approximately along the vehicle longitudinal direction x, is less than an extension of the front airbag 12 in the same direction.

(27) The extension h of the auxiliary airbag 30 along the baffle 44 of the front airbag 12 approximately along the vehicle vertical direction z is selected to be shorter than the baffle 44 in this direction and amounts, for example, to approx. 60 to 90% of the extension of the baffle 44.

(28) A horizontally measured width b of the baffle 40 of the auxiliary airbag 30 along a vehicle transverse direction y may amount to about 60% of a width of the baffle 44 of the front airbag 12, for example, but may as well be selected to be larger.

(29) In general, it applies that the baffle 40 of the auxiliary airbag 30 extends over a substantial part of the baffle 44 of the front airbag 12, wherein the surface area of the baffle 40 of the auxiliary airbag 30 may amount, for example, to at least 60 to 80% of the surface area of the baffle 44 of the front airbag 12.

(30) For stabilizing the shape of the filled auxiliary airbag 30, an inner panel 46, such as made from an airbag fabric, may be provided inside the auxiliary airbag 30 between the baffle 40 and the bearing surface 42 and approximately in parallel to the baffle 40.

(31) In order to increase a mobility of the auxiliary airbag 30, the latter has at least one flexible structure 48, 50.

(32) In the first embodiment, a first flexible structure 48 is formed in a neck portion 52 of the auxiliary airbag 30 which forms a transition from an inflation end 54 to a cushion-shaped portion 56 of the auxiliary airbag 30. The neck portion 52 has a smaller width in the vehicle transverse direction y than the cushion-shaped portion 56, but the vehicle occupant-side part thereof may nevertheless form part of the baffle 40.

(33) The first flexible structure 48 in this case consists of plural parallel inflatable cells 58 sequential along the vehicle vertical direction z (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which cells generate, on the outer surface of the auxiliary airbag 30 facing the vehicle occupant 24, sequential bulges 60 and recesses 62 similar to bellows. The cells 58 in this example are formed by partitions extending between the baffle 40 and the bearing surface 42. All cells 58 are fluid-communicated with each other and with the inflation end 54 as well as with the cushion-shaped portion 56 of the auxiliary airbag 30 connected in the direction to a free end region 64.

(34) Moreover, the auxiliary airbag 30 includes a second flexible structure 50 (see FIG. 2) provided in the cushion-shaped portion 56. The second flexible structure 50 in this case consists of plural vertical parallel inflatable cells 68 sequential along the vehicle transverse direction y, which cells form sequential bulges 60 and recesses 62 along the vehicle transverse direction y. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(35) Due to the two flexible structures 48, 50, the auxiliary airbag 30 obtains certain mobility and can follow, for example, a movement of the immersing vehicle occupant 24 along the vehicle vertical direction z as well as along the vehicle transverse direction y by a certain degree. This compensates for a movement of the immersing vehicle occupant 24 and stabilizes the position of the latter.

(36) FIG. 4 illustrates an auxiliary airbag 130 in a second embodiment. There is only shown a section across the cushion-shaped portion 156 and the second flexible structure 150 formed thereon.

(37) In this embodiment, the second flexible structure 150 is formed by a region 170 having reduced depth t.sub.2 in which the baffle 140 and the bearing surface 142 are fixed to each other without any space or with a small space only. The region 170 having reduced depth may constitute a non-inflatable region of the auxiliary airbag 130.

(38) The region 170 having reduced depth is spanned by a non-inflatable panel portion 172 which is fixed to the baffle 140 along a periphery 174 of the region 170 having reduced depth, and which forms an absorbing surface for the vehicle occupant 24 having certain resilience.

(39) In this example, also on the bearing surface 142 a non-inflatable panel portion 176 is provided which is fixed to the bearing surface 142 along the periphery 174 of the region 170 having reduced depth.

(40) Otherwise, the auxiliary airbag 130 may be designed just like the auxiliary airbag 30 of the first embodiment. Optionally, also a first flexible structure 48 may be provided in the neck portion 52.

(41) As shown in FIG. 5, in the non-inflatable panel portion 172 at least one fold 178 is optionally provided which is initially fixed by a means 179. The means 179 is a tear seam, for example, opening upon a predetermined load and releasing the fabric inside the fold 178. In this way, the resilience of the non-inflatable panel portion 172 and, thus, the flexibility and mobility of the cushion-shaped portion 156 can be influenced to a certain degree.

(42) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of an auxiliary airbag 230.

(43) In this case, in the only difference from the second embodiment, instead of the region 170 having reduced depth in the cushion-shaped portion 256, a cutout 280 is provided in the form of a continuous opening along the periphery 274 of which a non-inflatable panel portion 272, 276 is fixed on each of the baffle 240 and optionally also of the bearing surface 242. Just like the region 170 having reduced depth in the second embodiment, the cutout 280 covered by the non-inflatable panel portion 272 has the function to impart certain flexibility to the auxiliary airbag 230 so that it can follow a movement of the vehicle occupant 24 while the latter immerses into the auxiliary airbag 230.