Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-10-16
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302436
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a side impact protective system for vehicle occupants, with an inflatable protective cushion which in the state of rest is stowed in a side door or inner side structure of the vehicle and emerges towards the occupant on activation.
Inflatable cushions for protection from injuries in the case of a side impact unfold between the vehicle occupant and the lateral delimitation of the interior of the vehicle, in particular the vehicle door. They thus prevent a direct contact of the occupant with parts of the vehicle. Inflatable protective cushions were proposed both for the head region and for the thorax region. The functionally proper unfolding of such a protective cushion, however, depends on the size, position and arm placement of the occupant. In the case of an unfavourable sitting position or posture, injuries to the occupant are possible by a suddenly unfolding protective thorax cushion.
German Published Application DE 43 04 152 A1 describes a protective device for vehicle occupants comprising side airbags, in which an airbag in the inflated state extends at the level of the pelvic region of the occupant and is supported laterally on the exterior on the side door. In the state of rest the airbag is stowed in the vehicle seat below the seating surface and emerges in an upward direction between the side door and the vehicle occupant on an activation. If the vehicle occupant is seated too close to the side door, the airbag can not be deployed between the side door and the vehicle occupant or can only be deployed to a smaller volume than provided for, and on penetration of the vehicle door into the interior of the vehicle, as a result of a side impact, no or only little protective effect is provided.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a side impact protective system for vehicle occupants, by which a correction to the sitting position is achieved in the sense of a sufficient distance from the lateral delimitation of the vehicle interior. According to the invention, the protective cushion in the inflated state extends at the level of the pelvic region of the occupant, is supported laterally on the exterior in the lower region of the vehicle door or side structure and has a hardness such that on penetration of the vehicle door into the interior of the vehicle, as a result of a side impact, the occupant on the vehicle seat is shifted towards the interior of the vehicle. Through this step, a reduction is achieved of the relative velocity between the door and the occupant in the course of the side impact. Through the reduced relative velocity, injuries particularly in the thorax region are prevented. In addition, the protective cushion dampens the forces acting on the occupant from the side.
An improved protective effect is achieved according to the preferred embodiment by a padding body being integrated into the covering of the vehicle door or side structure above the protective cushion, which padding body extends up to the level of the thorax region of the occupant. In addition, an inflatable protective cushion covering the head region of the occupant is preferably provided, which is supported on the inner side structure of the vehicle. This additional inflatable protective cushion can develop an increased protective effect in conjunction with the protective cushion in the pelvic region.
The protective cushion unfolding at the level of the pelvic region of the occupant must be inflated with a particularly high internal pressure so as to be able to move the occupant towards the interior of the vehicle in addition to the damping of the impact in the abdominal region. Accordingly, the inflation pressure for the protective cushion in the pelvic region is preferably about 1 to 1.5 bar. While with such a pressure the protective cushion is very hard, this does not present a risk because the cushion acts only on the pelvic region of the occupant, i.e. a region which is capable of taking great mechanical stresses.
A substantial increase in the protective effect of the side impact protective system is reached by a further development of the invention in which a further inflatable protective cushion is provided at the level of the thorax region of the occupant, arranged under a covering part of the lateral vehicle structure. On activation of the protective cushion the covering part is released from the vehicle structure and remains connected with the protective cushion like an impact plate.
The invention has some particular advantages. These include the possibility of free unfolding of the protective cushion because no disturbing contours such as, for example, occupant's arms, seat rest etc. are in the way in the region between the pelvis and the door. Also, the inflating protective cushion creates no risk of injury because the impact region of the occupant is situated outside the region of his soft parts, in particular ribs and abdomen. The cooperation of the seat shell and the protective cushion results in an optimum correction of the seating position as required. The cover on the door liner, opening with the unfolding of the protective cushion, does also not represent any danger because it is situated beneath the arm rest, outside the possible region of contact with the occupant.
In particular the combination with the padding body in the vehicle door and with the protective head cushion produces an extremely effective side impact protective system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5251931 (1993-10-01), Semchena et al.
patent: 5333899 (1994-08-01), Witte
patent: 5447326 (1995-09-01), Laske et al.
patent: 5678852 (1997-10-01), Brown et al.
patent: 2856437 (1980-07-01), None
patent: 4304152 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 0411979 (1991-02-01), None
patent: 4-356245 (1992-12-01), None
English Peter C.
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
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